Haunted
by FireKali Chaos
Summary: [TyKa, AU, Complete] Halloween...the time when the line between life & death blurs, and the spirits of the dead appear. Some are malicious, some are mundane, and others...just want to help, and have a little fun doing it.
1. Chapter 1

**Kali Notes:** HAPPY HALLOWEEN! _hands out TyKa shaped chocolates_ (Dryad: Uh…Kali?) For all you TyKa fans out there…Halloween fic! (Caitlin: _tugs on Kali's sleeve_ Kali…Halloween's over…like, **_WAY_** over. _sweatdrops_) I don't care! Halloween fic! I promised one, so here it is!

**Disclaimer:** No, we don't own Beyblade or its characters.

**Warnings:** Ah…weirdness, general insanity… and the usual (yaoi, language, action/violence, etc.) excepting the fido-friendly version on ffnet. Sorry, folks. You know where to find it elsewhere…

**Pairings:** TyKa, Rei/Mariah, Max/Hilary, hinted Tala/Bryan & Kenny/Emily, others to be decided.

**Summary:** (AU) When it comes to romance and love, this isn't the first date one thinks of. For it's Halloween…when the line between life and death blurs and the spirits of the dead appear. Some are mundane, others are malicious, and then there are the playful ones…the ones who just want to help and have a little fun doing it.

* * *

_**HAUNTED**_

**Chapter 01**

October was one of his favorite times of year. Well, autumn in general was, but October specifically. The leaves on the trees had turned gorgeous shades of red, gold, brown, and orange, and had begun their gradual shedding of these organic gems of colour. October meant family dinners, since his Dad and older brother, Hiro, came home for an entire month. It meant beautiful scenery, outdoor sports and activities (although the chore of raking up all those pretty fallen leaves from the massive yards of his home – a dojo that had been in his family for generations – wasn't all that appealing), festivals and fairs, a week-long break from school, and…

Halloween!

Kinomiya Tyson grinned to himself as he walked down the steps of the high school, his book bag slung carelessly over one shoulder and a jacket clutched loosely in the other hand. A warm, autumn breeze ruffled the bangs of his blue-black hair, while a pair of storm-blue eyes searched the grounds around him for familiar, friendly faces.

He was especially looking forward to Halloween this year. There was a big Halloween party being held at the house of one of his classmates who happened to be one of the wealthiest – if not _the_ wealthiest – in his class. And while Tyson wasn't really what one would call close friends with the guy, they weren't enemies, either.

Tyson was excited about this party. Though he wasn't the best of buddies with the guy having it, he was still part of that group of his peers, by virtue of being friends with a couple of others who _were_ friends of their host. Tyson usually hosted a Halloween party of his own, but this year he'd been invited to one before he even had an opportunity to plan his own. Not that he was complaining – neither was his grandfather. The wacky old man _loved_ throwing parties and celebrations, but he despised the mess to clean up afterward. So he hadn't been _too_ upset at not having a Halloween party this year.

Chuckling to himself, Tyson spotted his friends standing around under the shelter of a huge chestnut tree near the high school's gate. His Japanese-American friend, Max, had somehow managed to snatch away their youngest friend Kenny's beloved laptop, and was holding it up above his head out of the bespectacled young brunette's reach. Smiling, Tyson made his way toward them as the clock in the clock tower chimed four o'clock, announcing to everyone that it was time to go home.

"Give it back, Max! You're going to drop it waving it around in the air like that!" Kenny pleaded, holding out his hands to the blonde. "Please?"

"No way, Chief! I won't give it back until you promise to come with us to Kai's big bash."

"But I have to work on my program for…"

"No! One night isn't going to hurt! In fact it'll probably do you some god. Your social life needs more in it than this, me, and Tyson, Kenny." Max dodged a jumping attempt to grab the computer back. "It will be fun! Especially if you're there, too!"

"Alright! I'll go!" Kenny huffed and gave Max a plaintive look. "Just _please_ give me back Dizzy!"

Max, satisfied, presented the little personal computer with a flourishing bow. Kenny grabbed it an hugged it to his chest protectively.

"Chief, you're the only person I know who names their hardware." Tyson snickered, coming up behind the brunette and ruffling his hair fondly. Kenny yelped and ducked away.

"Tyson! Don't scare me like that!"

Max laughed. "So, guys, where are we going today? Tyson's, my place, or Kenny's?"

"I still need my costume." Tyson admitted sheepishly. "What? I can't decide what to be this year!" He added when they stared at him incredulously.

"Tyson! You're usually the first of _anyone_ to get a costume. What's so difficult about this year?" Max tilted his blonde head at the bluenette curiously, blue eyes like the sea questioning him.

"I don't know! I've been so many different things over the years, I guess I just can't pick something now." He replied, shrugging. The three teens began to walk, leaving the high school behind.

"Well, we may have to buy bits and pieces of things to make up a costume, Tyson. I don't know what would be left at the costume store by this late date." Kenny said, pondering the possibilities thoughtfully.

"Yeah, I know." Tyson sighed mournfully. "I really don't have a clue, though."

"Don't worry! We'll think of something!" Max patted him on the shoulder and grinned.

As they rounded a corner, a voice from on high spoke up, dry and rather bored sounding. They looked upward, spotting three teens lounging along the wide ledge of the school's outer wall in their uniforms – or at least most of it. None of them were wearing their jackets, and the two boys had removed their ties and left two buttons undone at the neck of their shirts.

"Don't think too hard, Mizuhara. Or you either, Kinomiya. It would be such an awful shame for you to hurt yourselves like that." The red-headed boy snickered.

"Yeah, you should leave the thinking to the brainy one, there." The lavender haired boy sprawled next to him smirked. He propped himself up on an elbow and looked them over, eyes like some bird of prey considering its meal. "At least Kenny knows how to use his."

Kenny scowled. "Gee. Thanks, Bryan."

Bryan shrugged. "I tell it like I see it. Tala, on the other hand, likes to push people's buttons."

Tala, running pale fingers through his flame-red hair, smiled and lightly punched his boyfriend on the leg. "Ass. You're no better."

"Quit picking on each other, you two." The honey-eyed female, sitting back to back with Tala in order to be semi-comfortable up there on the ledge in a skirt, rolled her eyes and reached back blindly to find Tala's arm and grip his sleeve in warning. "And quit picking on _them_. Tyson and Max are smarter than the two of you put together and you know it."

Tala took her hand from his sleeve and crossed his arms. "It's just teasing, Hilary. Relax, cousin."

Tyson ignored them, his eyes drawn a little farther upward by some weird sixth sense to a silent, watchful figure perched on a massive tree limb that hung just over the wall. One leg hung off the limb lazily and his back leaned comfortably against the thick trunk. Tyson's blue eyes met piercing, bloody-crimson and the bluenette felt a definite, curious tingling run through his body in a shiver from head to foot and back up again. The boy in the tree gave a slight nod of greeting – or at least acknowledgement – and Tyson gave him a tiny head-bow in return. It was the same every time they ran into each other. There was always a current of…something between them, and they always seemed to know when the other was around. And there was a careful politeness and respect that they always observed with each other, odd as it was.

Max, on the other hand, was laughing. He never took any of that stuff seriously when Tala and Bryan started ribbing him. It was all in good fun, to Max. "You guys are a riot! What are all of you doing up there anyway?"

"Discussing the party and making plans." Hilary replied, disengaging herself fro Tala and sitting up properly. She began buttoning her school jacket up as she continued. "Kai says the third floor of his house is haunted."

Standing between Max and Tyson, Kenny froze. "H…haunted? You're not serious."

Tala, spotting an opportunity, grinned and nodded. "Very serious! Everyone knows that house has been haunted for years! Weird stuff is always happening around it, but especially on the third floor." He swung his legs around to dangle over the edge of the wall. "Maybe you'll get to see the ghost or maybe something really spooky will happen when you're there, Kenny. Think of the research possibilities…"

Kenny clutched at his laptop, shivering. "I don't believe in ghosts or supernatural things." He tried to state in as firm and steady a voice as he could muster.

"Why not? Even if you say you don't, the chances are good that you'll change your mind after the party." Bryan shrugged, a devious gleam in his eyes.

"Okay, guys. Quit picking on him." Tyson laid a hand on Kenny's shoulder and the brunette jumped slightly. "Whether or not it really is haunted, the party will be great, I'm sure!"

"Have all of you picked out your costumes yet?" Max asked, deflecting the subject.

Hilary pouted and glared at her cousin. "I know what I want to be, but Tala won't co-operate and be my counterpart to the costume."

Ice blue eyes rolled upward. "I refuse to wear a bloody toga, Hilary. Forget it. It's so…so…"

"Frat-boy?" Bryan supplied. Tyson snickered, Max grinned, and Tala scowled.

"Shut up, Bry."

"What was it you needed Tala to wear a toga for?" Kenny inquired curiously.

"I wanted to go as Cleopatra, and it's only right that my 'date' for the party be Marcus Antonius." Hilary flipped her hair over her shoulder.

Max tilted his head thoughtfully, considering it. "I think you would make a great Queen Cleo, Hilary." He said, a small hint of pink staining his freckled face.

The brunette female blinked and blushed prettily. "Why thank you, Max. That's sweet."

Tyson got an idea, and grinned deviously. "Max could go as Antonius, Hilary. Why don't you two go to the party together?"

Max's blonde head whipped around to stare at his friend with a '_what the hell are you doing to me_?' expression of shock and nervousness. Okay, so he had liked Hilary for a long time now, and maybe he hadn't been able to work up the courage to do anything about it yet, but come on!

Hilary's eyes widened and her blush deepened, but she nodded and looked down at Max in question. "That would be fine with me…" she agreed, pausing hesitantly. "Um…Max? Would you…consider…"

"Oh! Ah…sure!" The blonde turned, looking up and smiling widely. "I was going to go as a Roman gladiator anyway, so with a few changes…"

"Great! Thank you!"

Tyson and chuckled and nudged Kenny, who rolled his eyes under the fringe of his hair.

"What are you going as, Kenny?" Hilary asked the petit teen.

"A scientist." Kenny replied on the spot. Everyone looked at him and shook their heads collectively. "What?"

"That's too easy, Chief!" Tyson sighed. "That's alright though. We'll find you something much better. Won't we, Max?"

"You bet!" The blonde, forgetting his annoyance for the moment, totally agreed.

"What's too easy?" A new voice inquired. Tyson glanced over as two more familiar teens – a young man with extremely long, wrapped, raven-black hair and a young woman with long, pink hair done up in a pony-tail – approached from the direction of the high school's main gates. They were holding hands, in a way that was obviously comfortable and automatic to them. Since they were childhood sweethearts, this wasn't much of a surprise.

"Hey, Mariah! Hi, Rei!" Max greeted them with his characteristic exuberance. "We were talking about Kenny's costume for Kai's Halloween party."

"Ah. Well, I'm quite sure whatever he chooses will be perfect for him." Rei smiled, a hint of pointy fang showing. "Mariah and I are all set for costumes, too."

"Really? What are you going as?" Tyson asked with great interest. He really needed ideas for himself.

"Rei is going as a spy – you know, like in the movies." Mariah looked up at her boyfriend with a wink. "And I am going as his female interest."

"Ooooh! That's a great idea, Mariah!" Hilary shared looks with her pink-haired friend. "And guess what? Max agreed to help me out and go as Marcus Antonius to my Cleopatra!"

"That's fabulous!" Mariah giggled, glancing at the blonde, who had flushed red again. She caught Tyson's wink and grinned back.

"Guys, if we're going to any stores, we'd better go right now." Kenny suggested, glancing at a pocket watch. "It's getting late and they'll be closing soon."

"Right. Come on, Tyson!" Max grabbed his sleeve and tugged him forward. Stumbling after them, Tyson waved over his shoulder at the group of teens they left behind.

"But we didn't ask Kai what he was going to be for the party!" The bluenette could be heard protesting. They rounded another corner, out of sight and ear-shot.

In the comfortable perch on the tree limb, Kai Hiwatari leaned back and closed his eyes, shutting out the chatting going on below amongst the people he called his friends, a small smile of amusement flittering over his features.

_You'll_ _have to wait and see, Kinomiya. Wait and see…

* * *

_

The day of the party began with mild, partially sunny weather. As far as Tyson knew, everyone had their costumes and were ready for the bash of the year. Even Kenny was beginning to show signs of interest and excitement about the party. Though, that could be more to do with his sudden decision to investigate any possible paranormal occurrences that should happen while he was at the party, to "prove once and for all that ghosts didn't _really_ exist," as Kenny declared one day at lunchtime, than for any other reason.

It was lucky for everyone that this year Halloween fell on a Friday. It meant that anyone going trick-or-treating, and/or any parties (including Kai's) would be able to do so without worrying about going to bed early so as to get up for classes the next morning.

To that end, Kai had decided to let the party run until midnight before he kicked everyone out. His parents were away, visiting his grandfather, but they'd given permission to host the party. Their house-servant, an older gentleman named Gregory, would help with the food, setting up, and cleaning up – as well as be the 'adult supervision' to keep everything and everyone in line. Kai didn't mind so much. He liked Gregory and got along well with him, and in truth was glad for the help. He'd never hosted a social event before so he had no clue what he was doing, really.

The millisecond after the bell rang, announcing the end of the last class o the day, Tyson was grabbing Kenny and Max by their jacket sleeves and dragging them hurriedly out of the school, off the grounds, and to his house to get ready.

"Geez, Tyson!" Max laughed and shook his head as he began peeling off his clothes to change into his costume. The three teens were in Tyson's large bedroom with costumes at the ready. " What's gotten into you?"

"Yeah, really." Kenny agreed, doing the same and digging out pieces of his costume from his bag. "I don't think I've ever seen you this excited about a Halloween party before."

Tyson shrugged, opening his closet door to get out his own costume. "I don't know what you mean, guys. I'm always excited for Halloween."

"Yes, but this time it's like…you have a hot date or something." Max observed. Then he blinked, pausing in fixing his Romanesque costume. "_Or_ like there's someone who's going to be _at_ the party whom you want to impress…"

"Urk!" Tyson blushed and turned away quickly to hide it. "Uh…you're just imagining things, Max. Who would I be trying to impress, anyway?"

Kenny didn't even look up as he put on his shoes. With a disbelieving snort, he stated flatly, "Kai, that's who. You've been eyeing him for nearly a year and a half now, after all."

Max's eyes nearly popped out of his head. "What! Kai! Where have I been that I didn't notice this?"

Tyson wanted to sink under the floorboards in embarrassment. Leave it to Kenny to notice _everything_ that goes on around him. Still, he tried denying it as adamantly as he could muster.

"That's ridiculous, Chief! Ha ha…I think you need to stop reading those psychology textbooks. You're reading too much into anything…"

"Kai? Really? Wow, Tyson…you don't go for the easy ones, do you?" Max, awed, shook his head. "But…does anyone know if he even…you know…likes guys?"

"I have no idea." Kenny shook his head, while Tyson attempted to disappear into his closet. "That guy is impossible to read."

"Yeah, you have a point there. Actually, I wonder why he even invited us to this party of his, anyway. It's not like we're all best buds or something…" Max observed, voice muffled somewhat as he tugged the leather armour over his head and wriggled into it.

Tyson, tuning them out, stripped off his school uniform and started to put on his own costume – which he thought was rather lame but it had been the only thing left that would fit him (and wasn't completely stupid-looking) at the last costume store they'd gone to.

"Maybe not, but we are friends with Rei and Mariah, and with some of the others who are part of that circle. We're not hated either." Kenny pointed out. He was struggling to put on the hat that went with his costume. "Are you sure this outfit doesn't look ridiculous on me?"

"It's great, Chief!" Max exclaimed with a beaming smile. "Isn't it, Tyson?"

"Yep. It's a good costume for you." Tyson smiled, too, and pulled on the pants of his own costume, then the shirt, quickly buttoning it up. "At least you don't look like one of the Village People…"

The other two teens snickered at his grumbling. "Aww…come on, Tyson! You look great and I'm sure Kai will love the costume much more than we do!" Max winked at Kenny.

A shoe came flying at Max's head.

"Now, now…" Kenny intervened before one of their infamous scuffles got started. "Just finish getting ready, you two. We're going to be late getting there if you keep messing around like this."

Tyson grabbed the scarf and the hat that went with his costume and walked over to the mirror that hung on the back of his bedroom door so he could see what he was doing. Proceeding to tie the scarf appropriately, he studied his reflection. "Well…I guess it could be worse. It was this sailor costume or the big purple dinosaur, after all."

Max sniggered. "Oh, come on! I still think the dinosaur costume would have been cute."

"Mizuhara, you are going to die." Tyson launched himself at the Roman armour-clad blonde in a tackle. Kenny sighed.

"I'll phone Kai and let him know we'll be late." He said to the air, resigning himself to the fact that these two would never grow up. Unconsciously straitening his elfin tunic and hat self-consciously, he went to use the telephone.

* * *

**Kali Notes:** YAY! There we go! Extremely belated, but nonetheless done! We have the makings of a Halloween fic… _sweatdrops_ Enjoy? Hate? Indifferent? Let me know!

This first chapter is a part of the mass update I am doing of all my WIPs (aka the Chaos Wave), except _Endure_…which I pretend doesn't exist anyway. The other fics that have been updated are _Mnemosyne_ (my 1st Saiyuki fic), _Daze of Paradise_ (my Yu-Gi-Oh! fic not found on ffnet), _Once A Thief_ (a Beyblade fic), and _Written In The Stars_ (a birthday one-shot for Jen not found on ffnet). All of these can be found by following the links in my bios on any of the fic sites. For more info, also see my bios, or email me, or message me, or whatever works for you. You will get a response as soon as I possibly can come up with one. For now, enjoy this chapter and check out the other updates as well! Thanks for reading! Hope you're enjoying it so far! **Please R/R!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Kali Notes:** Can we all say "Kali's done classes for the summer!"? Yes! It's true! And I'm back from vacation, too! So…updating…here we go. I know a few people have been eagerly awaiting this one. So I hope I don't disappoint… And by the way, there is going to be at least one character who is going to be OOC. It's deliberate, this time. So please don't get on my case about how it's so not like that character to do or say or think whatever I happen to make them.

**Disclaimer:** No, we don't own Beyblade or its characters.

**Warnings:** Ah…weirdness, general insanity… and the usual (yaoi, language, action/violence, etc.) excepting the fido-friendly version on ffnet. Sorry, folks. You know where to find it elsewhere…

**Pairings:** TyKa, Rei/Mariah, Max/Hilary, hinted Tala/Bryan & Kenny/Emily, others to be decided.

* * *

**Chapter 02**

"Master Kai, your friends have arrived."

The Hiwatari butler showed the three young teens into the room and closed the door behind them. Kai came out from a huge walk-in closet, dressed partially in his costume, and nodded at the group of boys.

"Wow, Kai. I can't believe your parents allowed you to convert the entire third floor into your own…apartment." Ozuma, another of those kids whom Kai went to school with for most of his life, was also from one of the richest families around. The difference was that his family was old – real old – and so was their money. Kai's family wasn't quite as old as Ozuma's and the Hiwatari fortune had been made on industry and international markets in the last few generations. When Kai had learned this about Ozuma, he had also discovered there was only one other family in town that could rival his in age – the Kinomiya clan.

They had money, too, but not in the way Kai or Ozuma had. The Kinomiya wealth was tied up in their land, in the what was for modern-day Japan a vast spread of real estate upon which their family dojo still stood after hundreds of years. Kai had been somewhat shocked because Tyson did not act or see to even care that he was one of the rich folk. In fact he had always appeared an acted as one of the other typical, middle-class citizens they went to school with. Hence, his popularity, Kai had concluded. Tyson could get along well enough with _all_ his peers, and he usually did.

It was only one of many things Kai admired (silently of course – never aloud) about the bluenette.

"Yeah, man. If _you_ tried convincing _your_ parents that giving you a floor to yourself and converting it was a good idea, they'd ship you off to that military school again." Tala laughed at the expression on Ozuma's face.

"Shut up, Tala. That private school in Russia you and Bryan were at was practically a military school, too." The shorter, red-haired teen grumbled.

"Yeah, but…it's Russia." Bryan shrugged. "It's what wealthy families do with their only sons, most of the time."

"Enough, you guys." Kai broke up the conversation and gestured at the clothing bags they carried. "Don't you think you had better be changing?"

"Speaking of costumes…" Tala eyed his friend's incomplete one. "That looks suspiciously like you're trying to attract attention – or maybe a _specific someone's_ attention?"

"What are you going to be, Kai?" Bryan asked curiously, pulling out his own costume and draping it over the back of Kai's couch. "I don't think you ever told us."

"Didn't I?" Kai's mouth kicked up in a mysterious smirk and without answering he walked back into his closet to finish getting ready.

"I'm so right, aren't I?" Tala said in a not-so-quiet whisper to Ozuma. "Any idea which girl he's trying to pick up?"

"Girl? Why not a guy?" Ozuma snickered. "He's got nearly as many guys trailing after him at school as there are girls." Ozuma pulled his shirt off over his head and began buttoning up his costume shirt. "Ooohhhh…for instance that Kinomiya guy, Tyson."

"Are you on crack?" Tala rolled his eyes, sitting on an ottoman to rummage through his bag. "Tyson doesn't follow Kai around. Not like those freaky fangirls and guys, anyway. And come on! _Kinomiya_? No way would that happen."

Would you two gossips put a sock in it and stop talking like I can't hear you?" Kai growled in annoyance from the closet. It wasn't so much the topic of the conversation that bothered him as much as what they were saying about Tyson. Hitting a little too close to home, albeit unknowingly, their conversation just made the butterflies in Kai's stomach flutter more anxiously than they already were. He _was_, in a way, doing most of this Halloween thing for the purpose of getting closer to the bluenette without seeming to, after all.

Fully dressed but for his boots – knee high, black leather boots that laced up the side of the leg – Kai emerged from the closet again, running a hand through his hair. He glanced around at the others, taking in their costumes with a raised eyebrow.

Ozuma was looking extremely exotic in his gypsy boy costume. The silken red sash at his waist matched the bandana wrapped around his head, and the golden bangles adorning his wrists, along with the small golden hoop-earrings at his left ear (five of them) glinted in the light as he moved.

Bryan was the opposite of exotic, dressed in the plain brown, woolen robes of a Catholic monk – a friar, or some such lowly, pious priest. He was trying to wrap his rope belt around his waist but had difficulty avoiding the huge sleeves that hung over his arms and kept getting in the way.

And Tala was typically dressed all in white. But that was where 'typical' ended with his costume. The pants were white suede, the jacket was white suede, and even his dress shoes (and socks) were white. The only splash of colour he wore was the flame of his hair and the shock of his bold, sapphire blue silk dress-shirt under the jacket. It was the rather realistic-looking wings, however, attached to his back somehow, that gave away his costume.

"That is a totally inappropriate costume for you, don't you think, Tala?" Kai couldn't help commenting. "You're the _least_ angelic person I know."

"A demon outfit would have made more sense." Ozuma agreed, smirking. Tala just scowled at them both, then leered at Bryan.

"I'm no more an angel than Bryan is a monk." He grinned at the snort his boyfriend gave and winked at him. "Which was the point of our costumes. Where's the fun in dressing up if you can't be something that you're not any other day of the year?"

Kai rolled his eyes and sat on the couch to put on his boots – having to shove Tala's pile of normal clothes off onto the floor to make room for himself first. He grumbled a little bit to himself about the mess, as his bedroom was already a disaster with all their clothes and accessories all over the place.

"So who all is staying over?" Ozuma wanted to know. "I wish I didn't have to go to visit my grandparents in Kyoto tomorrow, or I'd stay, too."

"Tala and I are staying." Bryan huffed as he finally got the belt tied. "I don't know who else Kai invited."

"Rei, Max, Tyson, Kenny," Kai started listing off people. "Kane, Michael, and you, Ozuma. And a few of the girls that were worth inviting along, too. But if you're not staying, then it'll be just us three and the brat pack - well, Rei, Max, and Tyson, anyway."

"Kenny's smart not to stick around." Bryan gave his boyfriend a side glance. "I don't think he could handle spending the night around this lech."

"Just _what_ are you implying?" Tala scowled at him indignantly. "I've never tried hitting on him ever!"

"No, but he's not used to your blatant sexuality and your hentai sense of humour." Kai pointed out. "I invited him out of politeness, since I was inviting the others and didn't want to leave him out."

"How…kind of you." Ozuma blinked, mildly surprised. "That's not the usual Kai-thing to do."

Kai's glare would have melted rubber. "Is that so?"

"Hey, I don't mean you're an insensitive prick, Kai." Ozuma hastily held up a hand. "I just mean you wouldn't normally care about little things like that. You hardly interact with any of those guys – except Rei, of course. It's just a little weird that you're suddenly making an effort to get to know them better."

"What's wrong with it?" Kai grumbled self-consciously. "They aren't that bad or anything."

"I didn't say that either…"

"I'd noticed the extra effort you've been making lately, too." Tala put in. "We're just curious what you see in them." His ice-blue eyes widened. "Unless you're interested in one of them….that's it, isn't it? You've got a thing for someone!"

All three of his friends stared at him with surprised, considering, curious wide eyes, and Kai stood up to walk to the door uncomfortably.

"If you three lunatics are done getting ready, then you can help me finish setting up in the great room." He stated gruffly, hiding his red face from them as he marched out the door.

Ozuma, Tala, and Bryan exchanged glances.

"Well, this party will no doubt turn out to be vastly entertaining." Ozuma commented.

Tala nodded. "Fifty bucks says its Kinomiya."

"Ha. That's not a bet worth taking." Bryan scoffed. "We all have a pretty good idea that it's true." A sly look crossed his face. "However, a hundred says he doesn't confess anything or try asking the kid out by tomorrow before he leaves."

"You're on. I say he at least kisses him by tomorrow." Ozuma took the bet, shaking Bryan's hand firmly. "If Tyson's too naïve to understand what that means…"

"And I say he'll just stare at him from the sidelines all night." Tala rolled his shoulder, trying to adjust his jacket and the wings at his back. "I've known Kai the longest, and if he went to all _this_ trouble with the party just to get Tyson to be around, then he's probably got _other_ plans as well." A slow smile formed. "And Kai's plans require time and patience."

"Maybe." Ozuma headed for the door. "We'll just have to wait and see, won't we?" The other two teens followed him, closing the bedroom door behind them.

In the silence of the room, a shadowy figure popped out from the open closet and stared at the door consideringly. He'd heard the entire conversation, _and_ he'd heard the things the dual-haired teen whom he shared this floor of the house with had often said to himself when no one else was around – so he thought. After all, no one expects a ghost to be eavesdropping on their private conversations, even if it was just talking to one's self on occasion.

_Hmm…this sounds like fun. A party! And a chance to maybe help Kai get what he wants most!_ The little spirit rubbed his hands together eagerly in anticipation. _But_ _I want to see what this 'Tyson' person is like, first. He may not be good for Kai._

Why did this spectre even care? Because of all the people who had ever lived in his house, Kai was one of the few who wasn't afraid of him, who didn't try to 'exorcise' him from the premises – not that that had _ever_ worked before, as many had tried – and because Kai didn't seem to mind much when he played pranks on him. It wasn't that Kai ignored him or anything, just that he didn't treat the ghost like he was a fearsome thing nor did he pretend he didn't exist.

They lived in this house peacefully, and that was good enough for this little spirit. So whenever Kai seemed sad or upset, or when he needed something, the ghost did what he could – even though it was usually nothing more than bringing him a glass of water or a handkerchief, as there was little a ghost _could_ do without a corporeal body.

Except on days like today – Halloween. On this day in particular, ghosts had much, _much_ more that they could do. And the little spirit intended to use the opportunity to his advantage.

_Tonight is going to be a howl!_ The spirit thought gleefully, already making plans as he headed for the great room to observe the festivities.

* * *

Tyson re-adjusted his hat on his head as he stepped up to the door of the huge house with Kenny and Max.

"Stop fiddling with it, Tyson." Kenny scolded, pulling his arm to take his hand from his head. "Keep that up and it won't stay on your head. It'll fall off – again – and you'll probably lose it."

"Aren't the pins holding it in place well?" Max studied the hat critically.

"No. It's just too small." Tyson pouted at Kenny. "Can't I just leave it off? I mean, people can't miss guessing what my costume is even without it…"

"No you may not. If I have to wear this…outfit, then you have to wear the hat." Kenny was apparently in a stubborn mood. Tyson sighed and Max shrugged, raising his hand to push the doorbell button.

"Just put up with it for a few hours, guys. Kenny looks good in his costume and so does Tyson. It won't kill either of you so have some fun tonight, okay?" The blonde admonished, effectively ending the budding argument.

The door opened to reveal a smartly dressed older man in a suit. Tyson blinked at him momentarily, thinking, _I didn't know Kai had a butler!_ as he smiled in greeting.

"Hi! Um…is this the Hiwatari residence?" Max asked, half afraid they'd gotten the wrong address.

"It is. Are you here for Master Kai's Halloween party? Or are you trick-or-treaters?" The man responded, kindly. Max grinned in relief and nodded eagerly.

"The party! I'm Mizuhara Max, that's Tyson, and this is Kenny." He introduced the other two boys.

"Welcome. Please come inside and follow me. I am Gregory." The butler allowed them to come inside and closed the door before leading them through the foyer and up a grand staircase. The three boys marveled quietly at their surroundings, mildly awed.

"Geez. I knew he was rich, but this is quite the house." Max whispered to Tyson. Kenny elbowed the blonde none to gently and gave him a small glare.

"Quit drooling over everything and stop acting like a peasant in the presence of royalty. You're going to embarrass yourself."

"Come on, Chief! You can't tell me you aren't impressed by all this." Max returned, gesturing at the hallway and the works of art that lined it on the wall.

"It doesn't mean anything, guys. So he has money. Big deal. That's not who Kai is." Tyson said sagely, feeling an inexplicable need to defend the older teen. "He doesn't make a big deal about it, so neither should we."

Max and Kenny exchanged a glance, both wondering at Tyson's words. They didn't have time to ask him about it, however, because Gregory stopped before another staircase and gestured for them to continue upward as a doorbell rang through the house once more.

"Just continue up these stairs and go through the doors at the top. The party is in Master Kai's great room. Please excuse me." He gave a short bow and went back the way they'd come to answer the front door.

"Well, you heard the man." Tyson turned and started up the last set of steps, Max and Kenny following close behind. As they neared the doors, they could hear the pulsing of music and the low hum of voices. The party had obviously already begun.

"We're late." Kenny gave his friends a stony stare, and the blonde and bluenette smiled sheepishly at him.

"We're fashionably late." Max stated blithely, while Tyson snickered.

"Besides, we can make an entrance this way, right?" Tyson added, adjusting his hat one last time until Kenny slapped at his arm in admonishment.

"Quit playing with it!"

"Let's go, guys!" Max grinned and pushed open the door. They were greeted with the full volume of the music and voices, and the elaborately decorated great room where many people they knew (and many they didn't) were gathered to enjoy the Halloween party.

"Whoa." Tyson let out a soft breath and gazed around at the decorations. "This is way cooler than anything I've ever pulled off…"

"Hey, guys!" Rei's voice rose above the noise and the raven-haired teen himself appeared to greet them. "You made it! We were beginning to wonder if you got lost!"

"No. These two just couldn't stop…" Kenny started to say, but Max clamped a hand over his mouth and grinned, cutting him off.

"It's our fault. Tyson and I were taking a long time getting into our costumes." He said in explanation. Rei rolled his eyes and studied the trio curiously.

"Well, it was worth it! You all look cool!"

"Not as cool as you! Check out the super-slick spy costume!" Tyson grinned and gestured at Rei, who was dressed smartly in a black suit with a white dress shirt and shiny black dress shoes. His hair hung unwrapped in a braid down his back, and a pair of sunglasses were folded and tucked into the pocket of his suit jacket. "Do you have the gadgets and all that, too?"

Rei laughed. "No, but I have the girl…" he winked and looked around the room for his girlfriend. "Wait until you see Mariah."

Max shook his head. "Man, you have all the luck. Is Hilary here yet?" He tried not to blush at the looks his friends gave him. "What? I told her I'd go with her to this thing, didn't I?"

"Ooooh! Maxie's got a crush!" Tyson teased, earning a swat from Max and a smirk from Rei. Kenny just sweatdropped and tried to stay out of their usual good-natured squabbles.

"Cut it out guys!" Max laughed, blushing harder.

"Well, well. They finally showed." A new voice broke through and gained their attention. Tala and Bryan came up behind Rei and gave their costumes a once-over. "And they have decent costumes, too. Amazing." Tala drawled, smirking.

Bryan hummed and nudged him aside. "At least they aren't making fun of themselves, unlike you." He taunted, tugging on a white wing. "You're no angel."

"And you're no monk." Tala retorted. The two stared hard at each other.

"Get out of the doorway!" Kai suddenly appeared, shoving Tala and Bryan off to the side and giving the others a look that said they'd better follow, too. "Geez. You can all come in and mingle, you know. You don't have to stand around the door waiting for a chance to escape. No one's going to bite."

"Hard." Tala snickered and Kai drove an arm into his ribs in warning.

"Ignore the blasphemer." Kai looked each of the new arrival's costumes over but stopped on Tyson's, with thinly veiled interest. "Interesting…a sailor. What made you choose that?"

Tyson blushed and tried not to dislodge his hat when he scratched his head in a sheepish way. "It was the only thing left that fit – kind of." He couldn't help staring at Kai's outfit. "But gee, Kai…a pirate? That costume…really suits you."

Kai blinked once and nodded in acknowledgement. "Thank you." He said, managing to sound quite modest. Inside, he was fiercely blushing at the compliment and doing mental cheering for having made the right choice of costume to gain Tyson's interest.

Both teens were oblivious to the nudges and knowing looks their friends were exchanging outside of their notice at the pair's apparent budding romance.

Off to the side, unseen or sensed by any of the living, a little spirit observed the group – but particularly Kai and Tyson – with great interest.

_So_ _that's him. Kinomiya Tyson._ The spirit sniffed, unimpressed, really_. He doesn't seem all that special. But Kai obviously sees something in him. I'll have to watch a little longer to see if I can spot whatever it is that makes him so special._

Following along as Kai led the group farther into the room to mingle with the rest of the party-goers, the spirit glanced briefly at the grandfather clock that stood off to one corner of the room. It was only 8 pm. _Good. That will give me plenty of time to put my plan into action._ He decided. _Let the festivities begin!

* * *

_

**Kali Notes:** I love a mischievous spirit. And once you all know who he is, I'm hoping you'll see that while he is OOC, in some ways, he's not. I'm trying to use his personality accurately even if it doesn't match his actions…ah, forget it. Just read it and enjoy it for what it is, please? Let me know what you think so far! **Please R/R!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Kali Notes:** I'm beginning to like this fic. O.o Weird, right? I didn't like it before? Actually, I did, but I always like fics more when I start getting into the plot and all. Anyway, in writing this chapter, I started getting hit with multiple plot mallets – to the point where I started giving them away (no worries, I still have a few that I may pull out of the Chaos sometime). I wrote this chapter while watching the greatest (in my opinion!) 80s movies ever – the Back To The Future trilogy. w00t! If you haven't seen them, DO. They rock. And Ra-damn it all! _scowls and gets whacked with mallet_ OW! Not another plot mallet! _cries_

**Disclaimer:** No, we don't own Beyblade or its characters. Oh, and I don't own Hershey's (woo boy if I did, it would be delicious!).

**Warnings:** Ah…weirdness, general insanity… and the usual (yaoi, language, action/violence, etc.) excepting the fido-friendly version on ffnet. Sorry, folks. You know where to find it elsewhere…

**Pairings:** TyKa, Rei/Mariah, Max/Hilary, hinted Tala/Bryan & Kenny/Emily, others to be decided.

* * *

**Chapter 03**

The night wore on, and the party rocked Kai's loft apartment until just after 11:00 pm in a flurry of music, colourful costumes, and teenagers. By this time, most of the party-goers had begun to leave, and only a few people remained.

Kenny, exhausted after being whirled around in dance after dance by a girl named Emily and her friend, Salima, had fallen asleep on an unoccupied couch that had been pushed near a wall to make room for a 'dance floor'. Max sat nearby with Ozuma, Rei's friend and Maria's brother, Lee, and Ozuma's cousin, Miriam, having an in-depth discussion about what was best to eat with ramen. The white and gold clad Hilary sat perched on Max's knee, since there were no available chairs (that was her excuse, at least), with one of his arms around her waist to keep her anchored there. It seemed after some initial blushing and stuttering and the usual sorts of embarrassing moments between two potential romantically inclined people, that Max and Hilary found they were quite comfortable with each other – as if they'd known each other forever and had been dating for as long, too. A highly amusing situation to Max's and Hilary's friends.

As for Tyson, he somehow got talked into playing poker (using left-over part snacks as poker drips – and not for money, since he refused adamantly enough to play if they did) with Kai, Tala, Bryan, and Rei – and Mariah, who shocked all five boys by winning several hands in a row and cleaning out Bryan, then Rei, and finally Tala.

"Well, hell!" The red-haired 'angel' tossed his cards on the table and shoved his snacks into the middle of the table for the pink-haired girl to claim as her winnings – which she did so gleefully.

"I can't believe you lost at poker to a _girl_, Tala." Bryan sniggered and ducked the annoyed swat his boyfriend aimed at his head. "I mean, losing to Kai I understand, but come on…"

"Hey!" Mariah struck out her tongue at the violet haired 'monk'. "You lost to me, too, Bryan."

"I suck at poker." He shrugged carelessly. "Tala…doesn't normally suck. That's why I have to rub it in."

Rei just laughed while Tala scowled at Bryan. "I taught her how to play and she took to it like a fish to water. She's good."

"Thank you, Rei." Mariah leaned over and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "At least my own boyfriend appreciates my skills."

Kai slapped a hand over Tala's mouth (beating Bryan to it) before he could make a comment that would be not only rude but probably insulting, too. "Sure, she's alright. She's managed so far. However…" the dual-haired teen smiled wickedly and began to shuffle the cards with a skill that he hadn't displayed until now. Tyson blinked, watching those hands in a kind of hazy way, as he was sure no one outside a casino employee could be that graceful, efficient, or dexterous shuffling cards like a pro. He shook himself mentally. _Or_ _have hands like that either…wow_. Yet Kai was proving him wrong and the bluenette couldn't seem to tear his eyes away, glued to every moment. "I haven't been playing for real until now."

"Oh boy." Tala groaned and leaned back in his chair, folding his arms behind his head as he watched Kai deal the cards with sharp flicks of his wrists. "Here we go…the Card Shark Hiwatari finally gets serious."

Mariah frowned a little worriedly and reached for her cards. "He's not _that_ good, is he?"

Tyson took one brief look at his cards and barely managed to keep a neutral expression on his face. He had a good hand, maybe enough to beat Mariah with. "I couldn't tell you, Mariah. This is the first time I've played cards with him."

The ghostly little spirit, who stood just behind the bluenette, giggled a touch evilly. _He_ knew Kai's skill at cards quite well. In fact Kai was exceptionally good at most games he tried. It would be interesting to see how Tyson fared against him.

Bryan just shook his head and tried to see what cards Kai had in his hand, while Tala strained his neck trying to see Tyson's. Rei scratched his head a little sheepishly and gave his girlfriend an apologetic look.

"Sorry, Mariah, but he is actually _really_ good at poker." The raven-haired teen admitted sheepishly. His girlfriend sighed dramatically and patted him on the arm.

"Don't worry, Rei. I'm sure I'll still be lucky tonight and keep…" Mariah stared at her cards as an expression of consternation came over her face before she could stop it. "…on winning." She finished belatedly.

Both Kai and Tyson noticed the pause and the expression, and made snap decisions each that her luck just ran out – and that she wasn't trying to bluff them.

"One card." Tyson said, accepting the one Kai dealt him. "I'll raise with a pretzel."

"I'm satisfied with my hand." Kai eyed the betting pile. "And I'll see your pretzel and raise it with two Hershey's kisses."

Tyson frowned. Those were the most valuable of their 'chips.' He studied Kai carefully, looking for signs of a bluff.

Mariah made a face and tossed her cards on the table. "I fold. And I think I'll quit for this game. I'm getting sleepy."

"Ooooh!" Tala gave a low whistle. "And now its down to Kinomiya and Hiwatari! Now it gets _really_ interesting."

"How long can Tyson hold out against Bay City's top poker player?" Bryan added to the mock-commentary.

"Would you two idiots stuff it?" Kai gave them each a hard side glare.

Tyson was ignoring the others, thinking really hard about his hand. He had four of a kind – Queens, no less. But was that good enough to take Kai? _Ah, what the hell_. He mused silently with a smile. _There's_ _no fun if you don't gamble a little and lay it all on the line sometimes_.

"I'll see your kisses," he pretended not to hear the snickers from the peanut gallery at the way that sounded. "And I'll bet it all on this hand for the game." Tyson shoved the remainder of his 'chips' into the pile and raised an eyebrow at Kai, blatant challenge flashing in his stormy blue eyes. "Life's a gamble, as they say."

Kai smiled, pleased and vaguely impressed with the bluenette's courage. "Alright. So will I." He responded, adding his own large pile of 'chips' to the middle of the table. "Call. Show me what you've got, Kinomiya." His crimson eyes met and held Tyson's and there was a moment where Tyson thought Kai was talking about something entirely different than poker.

But he shrugged it off as fantasy (Kai liking him _that_ way? Yeah, sure.) and laid out his cards. "Four of a kind – four royal ladies." He declared with a grin.

"Ooh!" Rei laughed and clapped the bluenette on the back in a congratulatory manner. "Well done, Tyson."

"Nice." Kai let a small smile cross his face. "There aren't many hands that could beat that one."

Tyson looked him in the eye and felt any excitement about winning against Kai that he might have had begin to die. "Let me guess…you've got one of those few."

"Surprisingly intelligent, isn't he?" Tala commented, nudging Bryan. "I guess Kai maintains his poker title yet again!"

"Knock it off. He did much better than either of you did." Kai scoffed, laying down his cards. The important ones were the four kings. Tyson groaned and smacked a hand to his forehead in defeat.

"Damn! Look at that! Oh well." He looked around the table at everyone, blue eyes landing on Kai last and staying there. He held out a hand to shake Kai's. "Great game everyone! That was a lot of fun! And congratulations, Kai!"

"Good game." Kai smiled a little at the sportsmanship. "Kinomiya."

The little spirit hovering near Kai grinned gleefully. _I knew he couldn't beat Kai! Though…that was a pretty good game. I haven't seen Kai enjoy himself this much in ages_. He watched them clear off the table and tidy things up. He supposed Tyson wasn't all that bad, and maybe the bluenette would be good for Kai. _He certainly needs to have more fun and quit being such a horrible wet blanket_. The ghost followed the group as they went to join the others at the couches. Rather fond of games himself, the spirit started issuing points. _Twenty points for amusing Kai, another twenty-five for willing to risk it all on that gamble…_

Mariah laid a hand on her brother's shoulder and yawned. "Oh! Excuse me! Lee, I think it's time to get home."

"Yeah." Lee got up and glanced around. "We're off then! See you all at school on Monday! Great party, Hiwatari. Thanks for inviting us." Lee shook Kai's hand briefly.

Rei sighed and waved as he followed them to the door. "I have to run home really quickly, Kai, after I drop these two off. Great party, man!"

"Thanks, and no problem." Kai shrugged. "No one's going to be in bed for a while yet, I'm sure."

"We'd better get going, too." Ozuma scowled and nudged Miriam. "Before my mother calls out the National Guard or something looking for us."

Miriam rolled her eyes but stood up and went with him to the door, her gypsy skirt swishing around her bare ankles. "She's not that bad, Ozuma."

"Yes, she is. I'll just grab my stuff from Kai's room, and we'll go."

"Kenny! Hey, Chief!" Max shook the brunette gently to wake him up. "Time to head home, buddy! You need your sleep."

Kenny sat up groggily and looked around, disoriented. "Max? Did I fall asleep?" He blushed at Max's nod. "Oh…I'm so sorry, Kai!"

"Forget it, Kenny. Anyone would be tired after all that dancing with Emily and Salima." Kai drawled, teasing him just a bit and making the brainy brunette turn even more red.

"He has a point, Chief." Tyson agreed, though more sympathetically than Kai. Max laughed.

Hilary leaned up on her toes and gave the blonde a quick kiss on the cheek, making _him_ blush brightly. "Thanks for tonight, Max. I had a really great time. Think we can do it again sometime?" She asked a little shyly, a small blush of her own painting her cheeks. "Like, say…a movie?"

Max grinned his 1000-Watt smile and nodded. "Yeah! I'd like that!"

"Great!" Hilary grinned back. "Thanks, Kai! See you later!" She snapped her fingers like the royalty she was dressed up as and commanded, "Tala! Let's go!"

"What? NO. I'm staying over, remember?" The redhead scowled at his cousin. She turned and gave him one of her scariest death glares, hands on hips, one sandaled food tapping.

"You are walking me home. There's a lot of weirdoes running around out there tonight." Her expression dared him to argue.

"Hmph. Like they'd come anywhere _near_ you. You'd stomp their asses into the ground or deafen them with that harpy's scream of yours." Tala muttered under his breath, though he was stalking to the door anyway.

"I heard that." She stated flatly.

Max frowned a little. "Hey, Tyson? I think I should walk Kenny home, too. Then I'll stop at home and get my bicycle, if Kai doesn't mind." He glanced at their host.

"Whatever." Kai waved it off indifferently.

"Sure, Max." Tyson agreed. "That okay with you, Chief?"

"Yes. Thanks, Max." Kenny looked relieved not to be walking home alone, late, on Halloween. "Thank you for everything, Kai." He gave a short, formal bow of gratitude to his host.

Kai nodded, amused at the formality. "Come on you lot. I'll see you all off downstairs." He ushered them out the door, leaving Bryan and Tyson alone in the large living space.

"Oh damn! I totally forgot the movies!" Bryan groaned and resisted banging his head on a wall.

"What movies?" Tyson asked curiously.

The lavender-haired teen smirked. "My collection of horror films. We had an idea of staying up all night watching horror movies." The smirk turned into a challenging grin. "Can you handle it, Kinomiya?"

Tyson huffed, folding his arms over his chest. "Hell yeah, I can. Bring it on, Bryan!"

"Good. I'm going to run home real quick and get them." Bryan, pleased that the bluenette wasn't backing down, strode out with his monk's robes swaying and swishing.

Alone, Tyson looked around at the mess the party had created, and ran a hand through his hair – knocking off the sailor cap. He picked it up and sighed. "Don't need _this_ anymore. Man, what a disaster. It's like a hurricane ran through here." He sauntered into the small kitchenette and dug out a big green garbage bag, and began picking up the party trash laying around. He knew what a pain this was the next morning to clean, and figured Kai wouldn't mind a little leg-up on the mess. "Not like I have anything better to do. And besides, maybe I'll gain some credit with him." Tyson felt his cheeks burn a little. Kai had looked really hot in that swashbuckling pirate costume. It wasn't like, _Pirates of the Caribbean_, but more one of those that he often saw on the covers of those ridiculous romance novels the girls at school were always reading. The frilly white shirt, leather breeches and boots, just enough skin showing to offer a glimpse of muscled chest… Tyson dropped the half-full paper cup of soda as his eyes glazed over and he shook himself physically this time. "God! I'm so pathetic. Even if Kai _is_ really, really sexy in that costume… Damned ecchi imagination." He went to get some paper towels to clean up the spilled soda.

After cursing himself for being obviously pathetic in his crush on the older teen, Tyson proceeded to clean up with a vigor he never showed at home – unless Gramps was chasing him around with a kendo training lance.

Of course he couldn't know that his every word was being heard by a little ghost who was following him around extremely intrigued with the bluenette. _Ten points for being attracted to Kai, too_. The spirit nodded to himself. _Good. At least that's one obstacle that Kai won't have to worry about_. He watched Tyson keep on tidying.

It was 11:20 pm when Kai came back from seeing everyone out, ten minutes after they'd all left, to find Tyson picking up garbage and tossing it into a garbage bag.

"Kinomiya…what _are_ you doing?" He inquired amusedly, leaning a hip against the couch as he watched.

Startled, Tyson nearly dropped the bag. "AH! Geez, Hiwatari. Don't sneak up on me like that." He blew out a breath. "And what's it look like? I'm helping clean up the mess a bit."

The ghost, still taking in events and trying to make up his mind about Tyson, nodded reluctantly. _Huh. Fifteen points for being considerate and helpful_. He blinked as Tyson set aside a soda can instead of throwing it in with the trash. _And_ _a bonus ten points for recycling. He's environmentally conscious_.

"You don't need to do that. Gregory and I were going to do it all tomorrow, after everyone had gone home." Kai picked up another can and set it next to the one Tyson left. "Did you have nothing better to do?"

Tyson gave him a look. "No. I didn't. And I figured you wouldn't mind having a little help cleaning up, since we all helped make the mess in the first place."

Kai chuckled. "True. Alright. You and I can at least pick up all the garbage and put the furniture back. The rest we'll just leave alone to worry about tomorrow." He went to his kitchenette to get another garbage bag, and started tidying.

The spirit's gaze darted back and forth like he was watching a tennis match as the two teens moved around the room in silence, cleaning. He was so hoping that one of them would start a conversation. They really needed to. _Please?_ He silently pleaded with them, glancing at the clock. It was nearing midnight, and soon it was going to be time for him to put his plan into action or lose his chance.

Tyson tied his garbage bag closed and blew out a breath. "Well, I think that's it. How's it going over there?"

Kai dropped his bag next to Tyson's as he came over and stretched. "Done. I need to be out of this costume. Did you want to change, too?"

Glancing down at himself (thus hiding the blush staining his cheeks), the bluenette plucked at his pant leg. "I suppose I should. I don't intend to wear this again, that's for sure."

"Well, come with me. I put your bag in my bedroom so it wouldn't be in the way out here." Kai turned and led him toward a closed door off in one corner of the living area. "The others' stuff is all in here, too. And don't mind the mess. Ozuma, Tala, and Bryan changed into their costumes in here before the party, and I'll make Tala and Bryan clean up their stuff when they get back."

"Ah, no worries." Tyson stared at the room with great interest. Kai had excellent decorating tastes, that was certain. "I don't flinch at a bit of messiness."

Kai opened his closet door, and paused pointing at the sofa. "Really. Couldn't tell by the way you started cleaning my flat out there. Your bag's on the sofa." He disappeared into the closet.

"Thanks." Tyson glanced at the closet, grabbed his bag and dug out his change of clothes – consisting of a pair of old shorts and an old t-shirt – and wondered if he should change right there, or wait until Kai was done in the closet.

The little spirit had followed Kai into the closet and, to let Kai know he was there, caught the shirt as the crimson-eyed teen took it off and tossed it at a chair to be put away later, and held it up. Kai blinked and smiled faintly. "Hello, Daichi. I suppose you had fun with the party, too?" He asked quietly so Tyson didn't hear him, as if the spirit could answer him. The ghost, who had one past Halloween used his increased abilities on that one night to tell Kai his name, dropped the shirt on the chair and with a laugh sauntered out of the closet.

_Sure. It was fun, Kai. But I think tonight will get much, much more fun in a few minutes. I hope you don't mind my meddling in your life too much…_

Kai felt a weird tingling along his arm where Daichi passed by and shivered slightly, taking that as a yes. "Well, that's good. Though…you have been rather quiet tonight, considering. I hope you're not planning anything too weird."

Outside, Daichi rolled his eyes and watched Tyson pull his old shirt over his head and stuff his costume into his bag. The bluenette sat gingerly on the sofa and smiled to himself.

"Cushy. Too bad Gramps is too cheap to buy new furniture. We could use a decent sofa like this in the living room."

Kai came out of the closet and heard that comment. "Spend a lot of time in there?"

Tyson jumped and laughed, scratching at the nape of his neck sheepishly. "Oh, not really. But when you can feel every spring in the cushions, it's time for a new one."

"Definitely." Kai went over to a cabinet and picked up a remote control, turning on a flat screen TV that hung on the wall over a fireplace. "Watch whatever you want, Kinomiya. I'm going to take the garbage bags we collected downstairs and get the snacks for us tonight."

The bluenette tilted his head curiously. "Downstairs?"

"Yeah. I kept tonight's stuff separate from the party stuff. There's nothing left over from the party anyway." Kai walked to his door. "I'll be back. Oh, and if you hear weird noises or feel a chill, it's just the ghost that lives here. He's not a bad ghost so don't freak out."

Tyson stared at the door for a full two minutes after Kai left, not knowing if he was being serious or just teasing him.

Daichi was grinning fully. _Oh he's completely serious, Kinomiya. But I won't hurt you. I'm not a bad ghost, after all._ His grin faded. _That one lives in the basement…_

Shaking himself and telling himself to ignore it, Tyson started flipping channels curiously. "Oooh! Poker tournament! Must be the one Gramps wanted to tape tonight."

Daichi groaned to himself as Tyson got comfortable on the sofa and really interested in the tournament on TV. _Great._ _At least he and Kai have a few things in common. Well, I guess if I'm going to do something, I'd better get to it_. The little spirit rubbed his hands together and walked over to the bluenette, standing just in front of him. Tyson was oblivious, of course. He couldn't see Daichi, and hadn't had any reason to believe he was there in the first place (other than Kai's warning). This was perfect for Daichi's plan. He could perform his little good deed and hopefully Kai and those other boys would be smart enough to figure it out and Kai would do something about it.

The plan? Daichi was going to use his extra abilities on this night, at their peak at midnight, to put Tyson to sleep, and if Kai didn't confess his crush on the younger teen and kiss him – nothing outrageous, of course, just a small smooch was enough – then Tyson would stay asleep until Kai did. Conceivably forever. Or at least that's what Daichi believed would happen. He was no expert.

Kai came back in just as Daichi was getting ready to wiggle his fingers at Tyson, so to speak. And though Kai didn't know it, another presence had quietly followed him. But Daichi did.

_You!_ He glared hard at the other spirit. _What makes you think you can just come up here like that? You have your own floor to haunt! Get lost!_

The other spirit folded its arms and snorted, glaring at Daichi. _On this night, I can go where I want, and there's nothing you can do to stop me. Besides, there's no one on that floor to haunt! I'm bored, and I heard about your little plan._

The sprit was no ordinary one. It was a poltergeist, not necessarily an evil spirit, but one that was mischievous and had a bit more spiritual energy to its existence that allowed it to do things that regular sprits like Daichi (who was just a little more extraordinary than even regular spirits) could not. Things like move heavy physical objects, like chairs. Daichi could lift light physical objects, like buttons, tissue boxes, even clothes sometimes, but nothing like chairs or heavy blankets. Even that required practice for regular ghosts and it also required concentration.

At the poltergeist's words, Daichi began to worry, just a little. He wasn't able to stop this spirit, not on his own. So if it decided it wanted to 'help' then he was going to have a problem.

_I don't need any help with this, thanks. Why don't you go terrorize the people next door instead? Their dogs are the ones that keep getting into Kai's yard and digging up his mother's prize rose garden._ Daichi tried distracting the poltergeist from his plan. _Teach the dogs a lesson and they'll stay out of the yard._

_Pssh._ _I don't waste my energy on mutts._ Humans are much more fun. The poltergeist snorted and ignored Daichi, moving to stand next to the smaller spirit in front of Tyson – still oblivious. _So that's the guy huh? At least he's not ugly._

Daichi felt a bit of panic. What was it going to do? _Ah…well, actually…_ He floundered.

"I put the snacks out in the kitchen for now. Did you want anything for now?" Kai asked Tyson, dropping down onto the sofa with the bluenette one cushion away. "Before the others get back?"

"Nope. I'm still good from the party, but thanks. Relax, Kai." Tyson smiled and glanced over at him. "You don't have to play host anymore, not with me."

Kai sighed and slouched in his seat, kicking up his feet to rest them on the coffee table. "I'm not playing host. Just asking before I got comfortable because I won't get up again."

Tyson laughed quietly. "I found a poker tournament on TV." He handed the remote to the older teen. "But whatever you want to watch is fine. I'm not picky."

"This is fine until Bryan gets back with the movies." Kai set the remote on the coffee table. He frowned a little to himself. _Is it just me, or does it feel like there is something right in front of me?_ He shrugged it off, thinking it was probably just Daichi.

_They are hopeless._ The poltergeist shook its head in amazement, watching as every so often one or the other of the teens would sneak glances at the other, and the faint blushes that each had after every glance. _Scratch that. They're pathetic! They need more than a nudge, Daichi. They need a shove._

_Oh, I wouldn't…_ Daichi was quick to protest, but before he could try to do anything, the poltergeist had pulled itself in and sent a wave of its spiritual energy at Tyson. _AH! No, wait!_

He was too late. The other spirit was too quick and far too powerful for Daichi to stop.

Tyson got to his feet just as the poltergeist 'attacked' him, looking down at Kai in question. "Kai, where's your…" he began, but never got to finish. It suddenly felt cold – icy, freezing cold – and he just as suddenly couldn't speak. Tyson shuddered violently, and his legs gave out from under him. He teetered precariously then collapsed, and Kai sat up in concern, half off the sofa and reaching out to catch and steady the bluenette.

"Kinomiya? Hey! What's…" Kai grunted as he took the weight of the bluenette. "Ooph! Hey! Kinomiya!"

Tyson didn't answer, though. Kai rolled him over and gently lay him on the floor on his back, letting his eyes and hands roam over the prone form searching for a cause of this strange and worrisome incident. The bluenette had passed out, it seemed, and Kai couldn't find any physical injuries that would have caused it. So he carefully picked him up and placed him on the sofa, tucking pillow under his head and quickly moving to his bathroom to get a glass of water and cold compress (mainly a washcloth run under cold water, since he didn't have anything more suitable). When he returned, he swept the blue-black locks of Tyson's bangs away and laid the cloth over his forehead.

"I don't know what's going on with you, Kinomiya, but you are going to explain when you come to." Kai muttered to himself, checking Tyson's pulse with a thumb at the inside of his wrist and counting on his watch. At least his first-aid courses weren't completely useless.

Daichi stared in horror at the two for a few moments, just as the clock sitting on the mantle of the fireplace chimed midnight. He glared at the poltergeist with real anger and snapped, _Whatever_ _it is you've done, you had better fix right now before it's too late – while we still have the power to do so. That was **so** uncalled for!_

The poltergeist just blinked at him, seemingly unconcerned and unperturbed by Daichi's threatening glare. _No more than what you were going to do. And all I did was change what'll happen to him. You were going to put him to sleep. I made him unable to see or speak. The only way to get it back will be to hear the words and feel Kai's touch – as in a kiss, not just holding his hand or hugging him or whatever. That'd be too easy to get out of._

_WHAT! Are you kidding me! Undo it! **NOW!**_

The poltergeist smirked, and began moving toward the door. _I can't. I've already told you how he has to break the 'curse.' It'll be up to you to communicate that to them, by the way. I can already feel my waning abilities and I'm being pulled back downstairs._ The spirit gave a little wave. _Gotta_ _go, Daichi! Have fun with the rest of the night!_ It grinned and disappeared as it had arrived.

The final chime sounded, and now…there really _was_ no other way to fix this.

Daichi slumped dejectedly and turned to look back at Kai and the comatose Tyson. _Oh gods above._ _**Now** what am I going to do?

* * *

_

**Kali Notes:** Ahhhh…okay. The chapter ran away with me. And whoa boy did a few unplanned plot twists come out in this one! O.o Even I wasn't expecting some of them. I had all these possible scenarios as to what was going to happen to Tyson, but this is the one that came out. Anyway, the poltergeist was just a device to make things a little worse than what Daichi (surprise! no one guessed the ghost was him!) had in mind. He's mischievous, but he would never do something serious like that to anyone. The poltergeist has no name because its roll is fulfilled and will not be appearing in the rest of the fic – except possibly at the end. But that's a long way away, and I have so much more to write! Let me know your thoughts on this! **Please R/R!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Kali Notes:** Urrrhh…sorry for the delay. I had some issues with my university to deal with (still unresolved but getting there) this week and I've been job hunting, too. glares at work-world Why? I like my summer just fine without ruining it! _coughs_ Anyway, moving on…

**Disclaimer:** No, we don't own Beyblade or its characters. Oh, and I don't own Hershey's (woo boy if I did, it would be delicious!).

**Warnings:** Ah…weirdness, general insanity… and the usual (yaoi, language, action/violence, etc.) excepting the fido-friendly version on ffnet. Sorry, folks. You know where to find it elsewhere… **This Chapter:** Use of a Ouija board (don't try that at home or anywhere else _shudders_)

**Pairings:** TyKa, Rei/Mariah, Max/Hilary, hinted Tala/Bryan & Kenny/Emily, others to be decided.

* * *

**Chapter 04**

Kai, for what felt like an eternity, watched over the younger teen, waiting for him to wake up and explain. As did his ghostly roommate.

Daichi paced back and forth in front of the fireplace, wracking his mind for solutions to this problem. He didn't know whether or not to believe the poltergeist from the second floor about the effects of its 'curse', or about the one and supposedly _only_ way to fix it. And he couldn't assess the extent of the damage until Tyson woke up.

It had only been about ten minutes since the bluenette had collapsed, when Bryan returned – sans costume. He only lived a couple of houses down the street, so running home to get the movies hadn't taken long and he was the first one to get back.

The lavender-haired teen found Kai sitting on the edge of his sofa in the bedroom, hovering over the laid-out bluenette with a nearly imperceptible frown of…was that worry? Bryan blinked and asked, "What happened?"

Kai started a little and shook his head. "He just keeled over in mid-sentence. I don't know what's wrong." He tore his eyes away from Tyson and looked up at Bryan. "Did you see any of the others on your way here?"

"Nope. I don't imagine they'll be gone much longer though." Bryan frowned, too. "Should we take him to the hospital? OR phone his house or something?"

Kai looked back down at the bluenette, whose hand flexed and breathing hitched as he began to come back around. "Let's hold off on that. I think he's waking up." Kai reached out and tapped Tyson's cheeks a bit forcefully. "Wake up, Kinomiya. Come on, now, and wake up. I can't help if you don't tell me what's wrong."

Daichi felt a pang in his chest. _Kai…you can't do anything because **he** can't tell you what's wrong. He doesn't know_. The little spirit wanted to bang his head on the mantle in frustration – if he could have reached it. He was too short. _I have to tell Kai…but how?_

Tyson heard familiar voices and fought his way out of his mental fog to reach them. He struggled to sit up as he opened his eyes… They _were_ open. He could feel that. But…

Kai barely avoided a panicked hand that flew upward toward Tyson's face. "Whoa! Hey, watch what you're…uh, Kinomiya…" he frowned and then stared in shock as blank, silvery grayish eyes stared back at him where there should have been stormy midnight blue. "Bryan?"

"Yeah. I see." Bryan stared, too, not sure what to do or say.

Tyson felt his face with his fingertips, but everything felt fine and normal, and nothing hurt. _I…I can't see. I can't **see**! What…why…shit!_ The bluenette made a strange sound and reached blindly for Kai, needing to know someone familiar and trusted was still there with him. But when he tried to say Kai's name…nothing happened.

"Kinomiya…" Kai began to worry when the younger teen began to shake visibly and a hand moved to his throat, where inarticulate sounds and noises came from but no words. "Can't you say something? And what happened to your eyes? They're…grey."

Fighting back pure panic, Tyson reached in the direction of Kai's voice, shaking his head frantically. _NO! I can't see! I can't speak! Something's wrong! I…_

"Shit. Kai, maybe we _should_ take him to the hospital." Bryan was already heading for the phone. Daichi got there first, and quickly unplugged the line from the wall as Bryan picked up the receiver. "What the…there's no dial tone." He stared at the phone and set it back in its cradle. Daichi plugged the phone back in. It wouldn't do to have Tyson go to a hospital. Doctors couldn't explain the how and why _or_ the solution, after all.

"No dial tone? It was working fine today…" Kai frowned suspiciously and caught Tyson's searching hard before it connected accidentally with Kai's face. "Something weird is going on. Hey," he turned his attention back to the trembling bluenette, who was visibly and admirably trying not to absolutely freak out. "Do you have any idea what's wrong, Kinomiya? Some medical condition I don't know of or something?" he asked as gently as he could. Tyson's head whipped back and forth in a "No!"

"Do you have any idea what's wrong?" Bryan added, and Tyson kept shaking his head, gripping Kai's hand as if it were the only thing keeping him sane – which it was, oddly enough. Kai's presence was strangely soothing, and the bluenette could feel the panic in him begin to calm a little.

Kai didn't have the heart to take his hand back, not when the bluenette was still trembling like a leaf in a breeze and gripping it so desperately. "Okay, so you don't know what happened, and you haven't got a medical condition that would do this – that you know of – so…other than not being able to see or speak, is anything else wrong? Sick? Hurt anywhere?"

Tyson took a deep, shuddering breath to calm herself further and silently searched his body for problems. No. Other than being scared and confused and disoriented, he felt fine. He shook his head again and mouthed, "No."

"Should I go wake up your butler and tell him we need to take Tyson to the hospital, since the phone is out?" Bryan asked Kai. Daichi looked around hastily, trying to think of some way to get their attention. He spotted a closed notebook on the coffee-table and went to it. He couldn't pick it up, but he could rustle the pages – which he did, making all three teens jump, startled.

"What the…?" Kai looked at the notebook, blinking. Bryan edged away cautiously, sitting on the other end of Kai's sofa. Tyson shrunk back into his seat, having heard the noise but feeling the tension in Kai increase through their joined hands.

"Notebooks don't normally do that on their own." Bryan commented warily. "Hiwatari?"

Daichi stamped a ghostly foot and rustled the pages again. _Come on! You know its me, Kai! I really need to tell you something!_

"No. But they do around here." Kai's eyes narrowed at the spot over the notebook. "Daichi? If that's you, flip a couple pages in that book again."

_Yes!_ Daichi obliged, relieved. _Now ask me about Tyson!_

Bryan goggled. "You mean you really _do_ have a ghost?"

"His name is Daichi. Tala, Ozuma, and I found that out a couple years ago, playing around with Tala's Ouija board."**(1) **Kai waved the incident away for later. "Never mind that, though. Daichi, do you know what's happened to Tyson? Flip pages for 'yes' and don't do anything if 'no.'"

Daichi flipped a couple more pages.

"That is really weird." Bryan watched wide-eyed.

Kai frowned. "Did you do this to him, Daichi?"

Tyson blinked blindly and wondered if they were all losing their minds. He couldn't see what was going on but he could hear the flipping pages. And…it was chilly. Not freezing or uncomfortable, but just chilly enough for Tyson to notice he was a bit cold.

I can't answer that this way you moron. Daichi glared at the lavender-haired teen.

Kai wracked his mind for some other way to communicate with Daichi. "Bryan, call Tala on his cell and tell him to bring the ouicja board back with him. I think we need to hear what my ghostly roommate has to say."

Bryan raised an eyebrow, but didn't comment. Except… "The phone's dead, Kai."

Daichi grinned and rustled the pages again. _No, **that** was me. Try it again, Bryan_.

Kai sighed. "It was you, wasn't it Daichi?" The pages flew in the affirmative. "Why? You didn't want Tyson to go to the hospital?" Again the pages flew. "Alright, but you'd better explain later."

Daichi nodded and this time rustled the pages until the cover closed. _I'll_ _sure try, Kai. I promise_.

Bryan reached for the telephone again and shook his head in disbelief. "I can't believe we're taking the word of a ghost." He muttered, but dialed Tala's number anyway.

Tyson was looking rather dubious about it all, too. _Now, I trust Kai, but…he's trusting my health to a **spirit**. I'm not so sure about this_.

Bryan hung up and brushed hair out of his eyes. "Tal's on his way. I just caught him as he was passing his place. He said he'd grab it and be over soon."

"Good." Kai blinked, realizing something. "Hey, how did you get back inside, anyway?"

"I went around to the back and came up the steps to your balcony. Your French patio doors aren't locked." Bryan answered.

"Well, Tala will know to come up that way but Max and Rei won't. Go wait for them out front, would you?" Kai requested. "No need to wake up Gregory with a ringing doorbell."

Bryan nodded congenially and left.

Kai sighed and turned to look at the bluenette, who had calmed, but was still looking lost and a little afraid. "Don't worry, Kinomiya. Whatever's gone on here, we'll figure it out and fix it, okay?" He stated reassuringly. He had to smile a little when the bluenette nodded slowly and offered a small smile of gratitude before mouthing, "Thank you," and squeezing Kai's hand.

"I haven't done anything, Kinomiya, so save your thanks." Kai glanced at the clock. "It's nearly 12:30 am. The others will be back soon, and we'll use that Ouija board to ask Daichi what the hell is going on. But for now, how about popcorn?"

_I'm_ _not really hungry._ Tyson shrugged, but allowed Kai to pull him to his feet and lead him out to the living area and kitchen. At least the older teen wasn't leaving him alone. _I don't think I could handle that yet._ He shuddered. Bad enough to be in the dark but alone…

Kai led him to the counter and placed Tyson's hands on the edge. "That's the kitchen counter, Kinomiya, and to your right is a bar stool. Have a seat, while I start popping popcorn." He set up the popcorn machine, watching Tyson search to his right blindly for the stool and carefully slide onto it. "You alright there for a bit?" Kai asked, noting that the younger teen was still a little pale and shaky, and that every time he heard a noise, he started and looked in that direction. Kai dug out a pot and a wooden spoon.

Tyson nodded. Kai said, "Okay, but if you need my attention, bang on this pot." and set the pot in front of the bluenette, reaching for one of Tyson's hands and setting it on the pot so he knew where it was. Then he pressed the wooden spoon into Tyson's hand and went about making the popcorn.

The popcorn machine was loud when Kai turned it on. Tyson flinched and kept trying to listen to the other sounds in the room as Kai melted butter on the stove in a small pot for the popcorn and did…whatever else he was doing. It was hard to separate the noises, but it helped Tyson to know where Kai was, and in turn know he wasn't alone.

When the first round of popcorn was popped, Kai began dumping it into individual popcorn bowls for everyone. At that point, Tala came back through the balcony doors.

"So what's with the sudden need to play with the Ouija board, Hiwatari?" The red head asked, still dressed in his costume but without the wings. He'd left those at home when he'd stopped for the board. "You don't normally have a burning need for a séance."

Tyson looked in the direction of his voice, trying to focus on it. Kai gestured at the bluenette with the spoon he was using to stir the slowly melting butter.

"Tyson's lost his sight and he can't speak. Daichi made his presence known and when I asked if he knew what was wrong with Tyson he gave me a 'yes' answer." Kai explained. "If we want details, we need to communicate more effectively than yes or no questions."

Tala nearly dropped the board in shock. "Run that by me again? You're not serious." He walked over to Tyson and frowned at the blank, grey-ish silver eyes that stared out unseeing. "That…is unreal. Okay, so what exactly happened?" He waved a hand in front of Tyson's face, checking to see if he really was blind. Kai had just come around that side of the counter to go looking for the tray he kept in the cabinet under the counter on Tyson's side, just in time to catch the younger teen as he jerked back from Tala's hand and fell backwards off the stool with a squeaking sound.

"Whoa! Watch out, Kinomiya." Kai warned, helping him sit upright again and letting the bluenette grip his hand and shirtsleeve as he calmed again. He glared at Tala in warning. "Don't do that, dumbass! He's tense and scared enough as it is without you making it worse!"

"I didn't know he was going to jerk like that." Tala scowled owlishly at his friend, inwardly grinning at the way Kai was being protective of Tyson and how he hadn't taken away his hand yet. "But, I'll apologize anyway. Sorry, Kinomiya."

Unable to do much else, Tyson nodded and breathed a little easier, loosening his hold on Kai in embarrassment. _I'm…not afraid_. He protested silently. _Just…I just don't like not knowing what's going on around me – not seeing it. I couldn't see what you did but I could feel the air suddenly move in front of my face_.

"We don't know what happened, Tala. If we did, we'd be one step closer to fixing it." Kai gave Tyson a reassuring pat on the shoulder and squeezed his hand before letting go. He knelt and grabbed the tray he needed, standing and setting it on the countertop. "He's taking it all rather well, though. I don't know that _I'd_ handle suddenly being blind and speechless so well."

Tyson gave a weak smile, feeling a small spark of…something in his chest at the veiled compliment. _Would you rather I had a complete meltdown or a panic attack?_

"Hmph. You'd have curled up in a ball and not moved." Tala scoffed in a teasing way. Kai death-glared him and flicked a popcorn piece at him. "Okay maybe not."

"As soon as the others get here, we'll set up the board and find out what Daichi knows. Then we'll try to figure it out and fix the issue." Kai set all the popcorn bowls on the tray and went looking for the seasonings he'd bought for it.

"In here or in your room?" Tala asked. "I'll set up the board while we wait for everyone."

"My room. Clean up yours and Bryan's crap, too. Your stuff's all over in there." Kai grumbled as the redhead flipped him off over his shoulder as he walked into Kai's room.

His balcony door flew open once again, and a very concerned blonde dashed inside, bee-lining for Tyson. He was followed by Rei and Bryan.

"Tyson! Oh man, Bryan told Rei and I what happened and…oh wow…your eyes are…" Max gaped at the drastic change, halting his babbling effectively.

Smiling sadly, Tyson sighed and reached blindly toward Max, finding his arm and patting it lightly. _I'm_ _okay, Max. I appreciate your worrying though._

Rei stopped just beside Max and laid a hand on Tyson's where it rested on the blonde's arm. "Whatever this is, we'll find a way to reverse it, Tyson. Don't worry, okay?"

The bluenette nodded, grateful to his friends and for their support that came unquestioningly.

"Now that we're all here," Kai spoke up, ready to get on with this. "Bryan, go help Tala clean up your stuff and set up the Ouija board. Max and Rei, you guys can grab all these snacks and get the soda from the fridge." He began issuing orders, taking charge of the situation as he went to Tyson and took his hands. "I'll lead Tyson back to my room. Come on, Kinomiya."

Tyson slid off the stool and let Kai gently guide him through the living area once more. He had to wonder why Kai didn't ask Rei or Max to do it, but the curiosity fled as quickly as it had occurred. He really wanted to get this over with and be able to see and talk again.

Of course, he didn't know Kai was mentally asking himself that same question, as well as answering it. I _have this odd need to be the one he relies on. I don't know why but…I like being needed by him._ Kai helped Tyson to his sofa where he'd sat before and guided him to sit down, taking a seat beside him.

Tala had already set up the board, and was tossing his stuff into his bag, as was Bryan. "I'm just going to change, Kai." He stated, heading for the closet. Bryan set his bag off in a corner, out of the way, and took a seat on the floor at one end of the coffee table.

"This should be interesting." He commented as Max and Rei came in with the snacks and soda. "I've never done this before where it actually worked – or where Tala wasn't moving it on his own trying to trick me, I should say."

"I heard that!" His boyfriend declared from the closet. "I wouldn't do that, either!"

"Yeah, right." Bryan snickered. "Of course not."

Rei passed out bowls of popcorn and Max passed out the soda. "Well, this is serious, so I hope he doesn't try any of that tonight." Rei said quietly.

"Tala's a trickster sometimes, but he's not mean." Max shook his head, sitting down on the floor opposite Bryan at the coffee table and near Tyson's end of the sofa. "Well, not on purpose, at least."

"Gee. Thanks, Mizuhara." Tala huffed in insult, coming out of the closet (no pun intended) and dropping his bag next to Bryan's before flopping down on the sofa between Kai and Bryan. Rei sat down gracefully next to Max on the floor on the other side of the coffee table.

"Okay, you guys. Let's be serious and get to it." Kai flicked his gaze around the room and pointed at the notebook Tala had set aside to clear the table for the board. "Someone use that to write things down on."

Rei grabbed the notebook and a pen, flipping to a blank page. "I'll do it. Now what?"

"Yeah, I've never done this before." Max shivered. "I've always been told not to play around with these things."

"We've done it before, Max." Kai shrugged. "I wouldn't recommend doing it in, say, a graveyard, but here it's safe. We're going to talk to a specific spirit, after all."

Daichi nodded in agreement. _That's_ _right. Call me by name, and I'll be able to answer you. If you just gave an open-ended invitation to spirits, **anything** could answer._

"What do we do?" Max asked. "Do we put our hands on that pointer-thing?"

Tala shook his head and reached out to rest his finger-tips on the edge of indicator. "No, just one of us does. I'll do it, since I've done it before. Then we're supposed to say this special 'spell' to get the spirit's attention and start asking questions."

"But there's no point in using that ridiculous phrase from the instruction booklet." Kai scoffed and shivered as the room grew a little chilly. Tyson, still grasping Kai's hand like a lifeline, wriggled closer to the older teen's body heat, not sure why he'd suddenly felt cold.

Daichi smirked as the group of boys shivered. _I'm_ _here, so can we get on with it? Time's a wasting!_

"What was that? Kai, do you have a draft in here or something?" Rei rubbed his hands up and down his arms.

"No. That was Daichi. He was letting us know he was here." Kai glanced at Tyson, who kept shivering, and looked over at Bryan. "Toss me that throw blanket behind you on the sofa chair, please Bryan." The lavender-haired teen grabbed it and threw it past Tala to Kai. "Thanks. Here, Tyson. You've had enough shocks for tonight. Stay warm." he said, quietly, helping the bluenette wrap the blanket around his shoulders and upper body.

"Alright." Tala looked down at the board steadily and began. "I'm sure you remember me, Daichi. And I'm sure you know why we're doing this. If so, can you indicate yes or no for us?"

The little spirit rubbed his hands together in a brusque way and reached out to the indicator. Normally he'd have played along and just guided Tala's fingers to where he wanted the indicator to go. Tonight, however, required more drastic measures.

And so Tala yelped, startled, when his fingers suddenly felt something icy cold brush them and the pointer zipped out from under his control on its own. It stopped on the 'yes' written on the board as they all gasped (minus Tyson, who had no idea what was going on).

"Did you see that? It moved on its own!" Max cried, gaping at the board in astonishment.

Kai raised an eyebrow, surprised, but taking it in stride.

"It's never done that before." Tala blinked wide-eyed at Kai. "Keep going?"

"Yeah. Okay, Daichi. Do you know what happened to Tyson?" Kai asked one last time, just wanting confirmation. Daichi obligingly moved the pointer off the yes then back over it. It was taking a lot of effort to move the small hole near the trip. But he was able to move it much easier sliding it than if he'd had to pick it up to move it.

Rei wrote down the questions Kai and Tala asked and the answers the spirit, Daichi, apparently gave.

"What is it, Daichi? What happened?" Kai continued.

Daichi frowned, wondering how he was going to explain in the shortest way possible. _Well,_ _start with one thing, and clarify from there, I suppose_. He moved the pointer again, spelling out one word.

"P-o-l-t-e-r-g-e-i-s-t." Tala read. "Poltergeist? Some spirit did this to Tyson?"

The indicator hit yes again.

Tyson frowned, listening carefully. _A ghost did this to me? They're pulling my leg, right? Ghosts can't do something like this…_

Kai noticed the frown on Tyson's face and patted his knee in reassurance.

_Come on guys! Pay attention!_ Daichi moved the pointer again.

"It's moving again!" Rei gestured with the pen and the others watched intently.

"C-u-r-s-e." Tala read. "It's a curse!"

"Well, I suppose that makes as much sense as anything else." Bryan scratched his head thoughtfully.

"Why would a ghost do that?" Max wondered, looking around worriedly. "And what if it decides to do it again to one of the rest of us?"

Kai gave the board a dark frown. "Did you do this Daichi?"

The hasty answer was 'no,' then: 'Not a poltergeist.'

"I guess there's more than just Daichi in this house, Kai." Tala exchanged glances with his friend.

The pointer moved to yes again.

"Well, if it's a curse, it stands to reason it can be broken somehow." Rei mused. "At least that's what one hears in stories and legends with curses in them."

"Yeah." Max nodded in agreement. "But I still don't get _why_."

Daichi hesitated. He couldn't give the _real_ reason the second floor spirit had cursed Tyson. That would a) get him into big trouble with Kai (not to mention Tyson), and b) defeat the purpose of getting the two teens together as subtly as possible. Of course, the reasons that Daichi had were _his_ and not the poltergeist's. With that in mind, he moved the pointer once more.

"'Mischief!'" Bryan exclaimed. "You've got to be joking!"

"So a poltergeist, not Daichi, came along and cursed Tyson so he could neither see nor speak, out of mischief?" Tala repeated slowly, putting it all together. The indicator moved to the yes in reply. "Well shit…that's some prank."

Tyson tapped Kai on the hand to get his attention.

"Tyson? What is it?" Kai looked to him and spoke quietly while the others exclaimed and ranted about the new info. "Are you feeling okay?"

The bluenette nodded, but twisted the blanket in his hands in agitation and hung his head. _I'm_ _scared. I don't want you to see me scared like this, but I haven't really got a choice, do I? _Tyson shuddered and looked up again, pointing vaguely in the direction of the board then placing a hand over his heart. _You really believe that story, Kai?_

Kai frowned, trying to puzzle out the gesture. "You want to ask something?" He guessed, but received a quick headshake for an answer. "No. Are you asking me if I believe this?"

_Yes!_ Tyson nodded frantically.

"Well, weird as it is, I have to say yes." Kai laid a hand on Tyson's knee and left it there. "I don't normally believe in supernatural occurrences or whatever, but I know Daichi is real, and he's never done anything to harm me or anyone. I don't think he'd lie to us, either." The crimson-eyed teen ran his other hand through his hair and blew out a sharp breath. "I know you're probably scared…"

Tyson, though he _was_, straightened and shook his head adamantly in denial of it. Kai chuckled and gave in.

"Okay, you're not. But if you were, I'd sill say that you don't have to worry. Like Rei said, there has to be a way to break the curse and then you'll be back to normal." Kai studied the bluenette with a faint smile, noting the tiny blush of embarrassment and that despite his denial, he was trembling a little. He leaned closer and said lowly, "It's okay to be a little scared, Kinomiya. If it were me, I would be."

Tyson blinked and blushed a little harder, ducking his head to hide it. Kai chuckled and squeezed his knee.

"Okay enough!" Tala raised his hands and said loudly over the others' voices, quieting them. "We need to figure out what to do."

"Can the curse be broken, Daichi?" Kai asked, feeling the bluenette tense in anticipation of the answer.

Daichi indicated yes. _You're_ _on the right track, guys. Keep asking me questions!_

Kai felt a wave of relief. "Good. Do you know how?" Again, yes. "Tell us, please!"

It took more thought, but Daichi hoped his answer would allow them to figure it out. He moved the indicator, rapidly spelling out words.

"'Like fairytale.'" Tala intoned, following along closely. "'Sleeping Beauty. Snow White.'"

Everyone face-vaulted and fell over.

"What!" Max shouted, incredulous. "What kind of answer is that?"

"In those two fairytales," Bryan tapped his fingers on the table top. "There was a princess or a maiden that was cursed somehow by the evil witch or whatever of the story."

"Yeah. I remember that, too." Rei added. "I think they both fell into a deep sleep and couldn't be woken up unless their curse was broken by…by…" his golden eyes went very wide.

"What?" Tala demanded, looking back and forth between Bryan and Rei. "How?"

"By a handsome prince who would be their one true love." Kai answered. Beside him, Tyson froze and made a strangled sound in his throat, for he knew those tales, too. And he didn't think he liked the conclusion.

Max, becoming uncharacteristically sober and serious, finished their thoughts aloud.

"Yeah. The prince had to kiss the girl and if he loved her she'd wake up and they would live happily ever after." He shivered, looking up at Tyson with grave sympathy. "So the fairytales go, anyway."

Tyson felt his chest grow tight and his breathing pick up. _A kiss?_ _Someone has to kiss me? Oh…Kami-sama!_

Wanting – no, _needing_ confirmation, Kai looked at the Ouija board and asked, "Daichi? Is that what you mean as the curse breaker?"

Everyone held their breaths, waiting for the answer.

_**Yes**_

**_

* * *

_Kali Notes:**Okay, so things have to get harder before they can come together and get better. grins And you all know me…of course they get better. Thanks for reading!**Please R/R!**

**(1)** Kali absolutely **_DOES NOT_** recommend playing around with such things, **_ESPECIALLY_** on Halloween. Those mediums are not toys, and they open up to things that are better left alone. Playing around with the other side is not a good idea. If you do, its at your own risk, and you can't say I didn't warn you. (I'm a yami…I should know, right?)


	5. Chapter 5

**Kali Notes:** Gee, I'm a bit behind on this one, aren't I? At this rate it'll be Halloween again before I even finish this fic. Anyway, I think I'm going to have a lot of people feeling the need to chase me down with pitchforks and various other nasty weaponry after this chapter, so as soon as I post it, I'm running away to the Shadow Realm to disappear until I post the next chapter…

**Disclaimer:** No, we don't own Beyblade or its characters. Oh, and I don't own Hershey's (woo boy if I did, it would be delicious!).

**Warnings:** Ah…weirdness, general insanity… and the usual (yaoi, language, etc.) excepting the fido-friendly version on ffnet. Sorry, folks. You know where else to find it…

**Pairings:** TyKa, Rei/Mariah, Max/Hilary, hinted Tala/Bryan & Kenny/Emily, others to be decided.

XXXXXXXXXXXX (stupid quick-edit!)

**Chapter 05**

Daichi looked around at the stunned group of boys and felt helplessly sympathetic. He stepped over to Kai and brushed a ghostly hand over the dual-haired teen's arm.

Kai shivered at a sudden cool sensation on his arm and smiled weakly. "He is very sorry about this." He said softly. The others looked at him numbly.

"Who? Daichi?" Rei stared at Kai, who nodded. "But…how do you know?"

"I've lived in this house for many years. Daichi has been here for longer. I've gotten used to having him around, and I've learned how he communicates things sometimes." Kai explained. He looked over at Tyson, who had begun patting his leg, looking for his hand and attention. Kai grasped it tightly and tried to reassure the very pale bluenette who was trembling as well. "It's okay, Kinomiya. I'm sure we can find another way to fix this…"

"We need more info." Tala decided. "I mean, if the curse is to be broken by someone kissing him, and it's supposed to be like in fairytales, then it would stand to reason there's a specific someone that's supposed to do the deed, right?"

Max nodded. "Makes sense to me. Daichi? Is there a specific person who is supposed to…uh…kiss Tyson?"

_Oh boy. Daichi turned and went back to the board. How am I going to explain this? If I say yes, then the next logical question will be 'who?' and I can't outright say Kai…_

There was no answer for quite a while, as the little spirit contemplated a response.

Max frowned. "He's not answering. Is he still here?" Daichi nudged the indicator to yes again. "Oh. Well, maybe my question was too hard…" _No_, Daichi indicated, rolling his eyes.

Bryan snickered. "I just think he doesn't want to answer." The indicator hit _yes_ again.

Max pouted cutely.

"Did the poltergeist have a reason for choosing to curse Tyson?" Rei asked. "Yes."

"Other than mischief?" Tala added. "Yes. Okay then, why?"

"M-a-t-c-h-m-a-k-e-r." Bryan read. "Are you serious!"

Daichi scowled and gave an almost violent shove to the pointer. _Yes, I am!_

"That…is just weird." Max stared at the board. "I mean…a matchmaking ghost? Ridiculous!"

Kai frowned at the air above the board, mulling all the information over – until a conclusion of momentous proportion slapped him in the face.

He knew _Daichi_ knew of his…interest in Tyson. It was possible that, if there _were_ other spirits in the house, that they would know, too. Possible, but the odds were shaky. Still, that would mean that while Tyson was the one cursed, the intended target of the matchmaking poltergeist (even Kai had to wonder about that – it did seem highly ridiculous) was _not_ Tyson…

It was Kai.

Lucky for him, none of the others had picked up on that yet, and the crimson-eyed teen fully intended it to stay that way.

However, Kai realized that _he_ was going to have to break the curse. Now, he didn't have any issues with kissing Tyson – actually, he rather liked the idea – but it was too soon! He hadn't even told the bluenette he liked him or was even remotely interested that way. More, he didn't know if Tyson would be, uh, _receptive_ to the advances of someone of the same gender, let alone Kai. He knew Tyson didn't care if someone was oriented toward _aliens_ – they were still the same person as always to the bluenette. But he _didn't_ know if Tyson had a problem with being attractive to his own gender.

Blowing out a deep breath, Kai looked down at Max. "Mizuhara, sit here with Kinomiya for a few minutes. I'll be back." He pretty much ordered, standing and letting the blonde take his seat before directing Tyson's hand to Max's so he knew where the blonde was. Then he made his way toward his bathroom.

Tyson gripped his friend's hand, wondering what was going on. He didn't understand anything that was going on that night. He kept hoping it was all a strange dream brought on by too much Halloween candy or something and that he'd wake up perfectly fine. At least he was getting to see a different side to the serious, silent teen he'd come to admire and respect.

"How are you doing, Tyson?" Max asked in concern, noting that his friend still appeared pale and shaky. "Whatever this is, I promise we'll find a way to fix it – hopefully without any kissing."

_Ah…thanks, Maxie_. Tyson gave him a weak smile, not wanting to worry his friends any more than they already were. His mind was a whirlwind of chaotic thought at the moment, all the new information he'd heard trying to sort itself out into some semblance of order and rationality. Okay, so he was cursed by a ghost, and according to another ghost, he had to be kissed by…someone in order to break the curse and be able to see and talk again.

It seemed logical to him that it was one of the people in the room who were meant to break the curse – unless the ghost that cursed him meant for it to be _exactly_ like the fairytales and he'd be like this for a very long time until whoever the 'prince' was came along. Tyson shuddered and shoved that possibility off into a dark corner to ignore for now. He couldn't handle that possibility right then.

Mulling it over further, logic also dictated that it was someone who was unattached already – unless the person was currently with the wrong person, but Tyson doubted it. Tala and Bryan were an established, solid pair and Tyson couldn't fathom either of them with, well, himself. _Ugh. No offence, guys, but **hell** no_. He said silently in refusal.

Rei was also out of the picture. He had Mariah. _No way am I getting between that one and Rei_. Tyson shuddered. Even if Rei was rather attractive – in an exotic, feline sort of way – Tyson didn't think he and Rei would ever make a decent couple in a billion years. They were better friends than anything else.

As for Max…the blonde was genki, he was a lot of fun, a great friend, and all that, but quite honestly the idea was just creepy. _So wrong_. Tyson whimpered and gently tugged his hand from Max's. _Wrong!_

And then Tyson felt his face heat up as the last remaining possibility hit him full force. _Oh…holy hell…what if it's Kai? I can't just ask him to **kiss** me out of nowhere like that! I mean…I'd love to, but…_ Tyson cut off the thought before it could morph into anything more, knowing his face must be absolutely red by this time. He hoped the others wouldn't notice.

In the bathroom, Kai leaned over the sink and stared at himself in the mirror, asking his reflection over and over if he was prepared to risk losing Tyson before he even had him by doing what was necessary to help him – if indeed Kai _was_ the one to break the curse. And if he did, and – best case scenario – Tyson was alright with it and wanted to return his interest, then what? Was he ready to start a relationship? Would Tyson be ready?

Worse case scenario – Tyson freaked out and never wanted anything to do with him ever again. Would Kai be able to pick up his broken pride (aka heart) and move on?

Crimson eyes saw his already pale skin turn even more ashen, and a bead of sweat trickled down the side of his face. He was shaking, his heart was thumping away inside his chest, and his breathing was a little fast and erratic.

"What's wrong with me?" He asked himself. "It's just a kiss, right? No big deal." He scoffed at his mirror image, laughing humorlessly. "Yeah right. I'd only be kissing a _guy_ I happen to _like_, and it would be my first…oh god." Feeling dizzy, Kai turned on the taps to cold and splashed water on his face and neck desperately.

Daichi, worried about his housemate, had slowly followed Kai to the bathroom when it became apparent that the others weren't going to be asking more questions for the moment (while Tyson seemed to space out and get lost in thought). He'd heard Kai talking to himself and slipped through the closed door (quite literally) to check on him. The little spirit winced and managed to pick up a small hand-towel, holding it out to Kai for his face.

Startled, Kai blinked water out of his eyes and took the towel. "Thanks, Daichi. I suppose you heard all that." It was a statement more than a question, but Daichi answered anyway, letting his presence tingle along Kai's skin and making the hair on his arms stand up. Kai shivered and dried his face, muttering, "How embarrassing…" into the towel.

Daichi sighed and tapped the countertop twice, meaning 'no' in their little language. Kai gave a dull chuckle and draped the towel over the towel rack. _There's nothing wrong with having waited for the right person, Kai. I'm just very sorry I had the idea of any of this in the first place, and that I don't have the power to fix it_.

"Just answer a couple questions for me, Daichi, if you can. Some things the others don't need to hear, you know?" Kai ran an agitated hand through his hair and received another knocking sound – once, meaning 'yes' – in answer. "Thanks. Tyson isn't the one what was intended to be set up with someone was he?"

Sighing again, Daichi rapped his knuckles on the counter twice. _You're really smart, Kai, to have figured it out. I should have known_.

"It's me, isn't it. I'm supposed to kiss him and then we're supposed to fall madly in love like the fairytales and live happily ever after?"

Reluctantly, Daichi rapped on the counter once. _I'm sorry, Kai. It's my fault_.

"God…how am I going to do this?" Kai resisted the urge to bang his head on the wall. He had a headache already. "I can't just march out there and kiss him!"

_Actually, you could. It would be the fastest, easiest way of accomplishing it_. Daichi would have banged his head on the wall…if it wouldn't just pass right through. _But you don't do things the fast, easy way…and you have to tell him that you like him, so…_

"I'll just…have to hope an opportunity comes up, I guess." Kai straightened, forcing his expression to go neutral before he turned to leave the bathroom. "Oh god."

Daichi frowned, but followed him back outside. He was going to keep his eyes on the teens until this whole thing had played out. He was worried about Kai – and Tyson, too, of course.

Max silently gave the crimson-eyed teen back his seat next to Tyson and sat back down on the floor where he'd been before.

"While you were in the bathroom, Kai, we all came to the conclusion that until we find someone who likes Tyson and is willing to kiss him, there's nothing we can do right now." Rei informed him regretfully.

"We can't just give up!" Max protested loudly.

"I don't think we _want_ to, Max, and we're not _really_ giving up. But we need more information and how are we going to get it from a ghost? We can only get so much out of ghost." Bryan pointed out. "Especially when it doesn't want to tell us everything."

Kai frowned. He didn't like this either. "Daichi wouldn't keep anything so important from us. He's trying his best to help. There's probably stuff he doesn't know either, you know." He defended the spirit.

Tala intervened before another argument could break out. "Is Daichi still here? Because I have a couple more questions."

Daichi sighed and went back to the board on the table, flicking the pointer back to yes.

Max jumped when it moved and laughed nervously. "That…is still really spooky."

_Well, duh_. Daichi sneered. He glanced at the redhead impatiently. _Get on with it, Tala! Ask away!_

"Okay. Daichi, can you tell us exactly what has to be done to break the curse on Takao?"

There was a moment of silence, as Daichi mulled that request over before he finally answered (Bryan reading the words formed aloud).

"Curse only broken by deed and by word." The lavender-haired teen said. "I don't get it."

"The 'deed' would be the kiss, obviously." Rei drummed his fingers on the table top thoughtfully. "And the 'word'…"

"A confession?" Max drew his knees to his chest and hugged them. "That sounds all romantic and stuff, like fairytale."

_That's it. I'm going to be blind and mute for life_. Tyson sagged against the cushions of the couch. _I mean, as if Kai is **ever** going to tell me he lo-**likes** me, let alone **kiss** me_.

Kai glanced at the bluenette when he felt him shift, and saw the despondent expression on his face. It looked very much like he was giving up. He frowned in concern, since he knew very well that Tyson didn't just give up like that on anything.

Tala caught both teens' expressions and smiled inwardly. _Clever ghost, whichever one it was that did it. Kai's been watching Tyson for months now without doing anything about it. I knew he must have had **some** sort of interest in the kid, but now it's pretty obvious what sort of interest that it is_. Looking back at the board, Tala went on questioning Daichi.

"We asked before, and you didn't seem to want to answer, but I'm going to ask again. And please answer, Daichi, because I don't think you _want_ Tyson to suffer like this, do you?"

Daichi winced, guiltily moving the indicator to answer 'no.'

"Then please, Daichi, tell us…is there a specific person who is supposed to break the curse?"

_Ooooh_…_damn it all!_ Daichi wanted to pull out his hair in frustration – if he had hair, which was debatable being a spirit. Tala had successfully guilt-tripped him into answering. _But then, I don't have to say **who**…_

"Yes!" Bryan nodded, moving closer to the table with the information. "Now we're getting somewhere."

"Okay, that's good! Thank you, Daichi." Tala glanced at Tyson. "Who is it? Someone that was here at the party tonight?"

Daichi reluctantly indicated yes once more. _Crap. At this rate, he'll figure it out by process of elimination. He's too clever!_ He quickly added, "But don't know exactly who." hoping to throw them off. He didn't care if he was lying through his teeth, not when he knew _Kai_ already had it figured out.

Kai kept his mouth shut, and felt slightly guilty about it. He could almost physically _feel_ Tyson withdrawing from them at every question, and he was almost ready to do it just to fix it all and live with the fall out – which was sure to be bad.

"He doesn't know exactly who, but he knows it was meant to be someone specific. Great." Max scowled, an unnatural expression for the genki blonde. "That really narrows it down."

"It did. It's someone that was at the party." Bryan reminded him. "It's a place to start, anyway. Hey, Kon, get that notepad and a pen. We'll make a list and narrow it down some more."

Kai didn't think he could stand to sit there and listen to this, so he made up an excuse to leave. "We're running low on snacks. I'll go get some more popcorn and some more sodas."

Tyson, desperately wanting to get out of there nearly as much as Kai did, grabbed the older teen by the arm and tugged as he was standing up.

"Kinomiya? What is it?" Kai asked soothingly. No matter how much he disliked the situation, he would _not_ let Tyson suffer the silence and sightlessness alone.

The bluenette pointed at himself, then at Kai, and then in the general direction he remembered the door to be.

"You want to come with me?" Kai guessed. Tyson nodded. "Sure. You probably need a break. Come on, then. I'll lead you so you don't run into things."

"But…" Max began to protest. "What if we…"

Kai glared down at him in warning as Tyson stood up, grasping Kai's hand tightly. The blonde snapped his mouth shut and looked away.

"If we come up with something while you're gone, we'll come tell you right away, alright?" Rei tried to pacify them. He noted how Kai was standing in front of Tyson in a protective way, as if just that would keep him safe.

"Fine." Kai accepted that, and moved toward the door, leading the bluenette carefully.

Daichi escaped while he had the chance. _Sorry guys. No more questions. I've had enough_. He went quickly after his housemate.

Kai sighed in relief once he was back out in the kitchen and helped Tyson take his same seat at the counter. "Here, Kinomiya. Sit here and try to relax." He began to bustle around, pulling out more chips and getting ready to pop more popcorn. "I know all that was starting to get to you, in there. You needed a breather."

Tyson sighed, but offered a tiny, grateful smile. _Thanks, Kai. You've been…really strong for me tonight. I appreciate it more than you'll ever know. I just wish…_

"I don't suppose you want a soda, so how about tea instead?" Kai asked, interrupting his thoughts. Tyson blinked, but nodded. "Okay. I've got some green tea here, if that's alright with you." Another nod, and Kai set the kettle to boil on the stove. "That'll be a few minutes. Okay, it's going to get noisy with the popcorn machine again, Kinomiya." He warned, flicking the switch.

After a few more minutes, the popcorn was done and Kai was pouring boiling water into a mug with a tea-ball full of green tea leaves for Tyson when Tala came out of the bedroom.

"Hey, Kai? Come here for a second, would you?" The redhead stuffed his hands in his pockets and waited near the bedroom door, as far away as he could get from Tyson to be out of earshot.

Kai slid the mug in front of the bluenette and set one of Tyson's hands on the handle. "Here's your tea, Kinomiya. Be careful, though, because it's very hot, and the tea-ball is still in it." He watched Tyson lift a hand to feel carefully for the chain of the ball hanging over the rim and caught a nod from him before he left. "I'll just be a moment, Kinomiya. Bang on the pot like before if you need something. It's right next to your left hand on the counter."

Kai went over to Tala and folded his arms over his chest impatiently. "What?"

"We narrowed it down, and the only answer we could come up with…the only person at the party tonight who was single, completely unattached, and who it just didn't feel creepy pairing him up with was…" Tala met Kai's crimson eyes daringly. "You. By logic and process of elimination, we think you are the one to break the curse."

Across the room, Tyson set his mug down with a soft 'clink'. He'd heard that perfectly, despite Tala speaking softly all the way across the very large room. He sucked in a sharp breath, mind and body reeling at the knowledge being confirmed by one of the others. _I knew it. And now…_ He strained to listen, hoping that maybe…just maybe…Kai would…

"Me. I highly doubt it." Kai scoffed, his voice betraying his shock and the fact that he already knew with the slight cracking in it. "Tyson isn't into guys, Tala."

Tyson froze at the comment, stung. _No…just one guy_. He corrected, bitterly laughing at himself. He pushed himself off the stool slowly, getting to his feet.

"You don't know that, Hiwatari." Tala mimicked the other teen and crossed his arms, too – smugly, however. "And you two would make a good couple. Tell me, how'd you figure it out so soon, and _why_ didn't you say anything earlier!"

Kai rubbed at his face wearily and in great embarrassment. "Look, oh clever one, that doesn't matter. Do you realize what's being asked of me – _us_ – here?"

Tyson felt a tear escape and trickle down his cheek. He took Kai's words to mean that the dual-haired teen didn't _want_ to kiss him and _didn't_ feel anything romantic for Tyson at all.

He didn't want to hear anymore, all hope dying. Stumbling blindly, he relied on his vague memories of the layout of the room, and on what senses he had left, to navigate to the balcony doors. Tyson couldn't stay another minute. He needed to leave, and he threw open the door with a silent sob of despair.

"Of course I…" Tala blinked then pointed in the direction of the kitchen. "Uh oh…"

Kai turned and in an instant was flying across the room toward the open balcony door. Luckily, Tyson hadn't gotten far and was still on the balcony clinging to the railing.

"Kinomiya! What are you doing, you idiot!" Kai went to him and tried to take his arm to lead him back inside, but Tyson turned away and stepped back from him, shaking his head adamantly.

_Don't!_ Tyson cried out in the silence of his mind. _Don't touch me, don't help me, just let me be! Please… Tears coursed down his cheeks_.

Kai didn't touch him, but he didn't go away either. "Kinomiya…I don't know what's wrong unless you help me figure it out somehow. Did I do or say something wrong?" he asked cautiously. He really did not know what to do or say faced with a crying Tyson. What he did know was that he wanted to make the tears stop, whatever was causing them.

The bluenette's head shook, stopped, nodded, then stopped again before he drove his fingers into his hair with a silent scream of frustration. _Yes! No! I don't know…_ Kai watched helplessly and stepped forward, though he didn't attempt to touch Tyson yet.

"Hey…look at me." The dual-haired teen waited until Tyson slowly raised his head to stare at him with forlorn, red-rimmed grey eyes before continuing. "Whatever it is that I've done or said, I'm sorry. And…I'm especially sorry that this has happened to you. I feel responsible somehow, and…"

Tyson's eyes widened in shock. _No! Don't feel like that, Kai! I'm depressed and I feel sorry for myself, but I don't blame **you**!_ He reached out instinctively, shaking his head in denial. _You would never have done this or allowed it to be done, Kai. I know that!_

Kai stopped speaking and tentatively took the bluenette's hand so he could find him. He wasn't, however, quite prepared for the younger teen to toss both arms around him in an embrace that – while completely out of the blue – was not unwelcome. Not sure what else to do or say, Kai slowly raised his arms and carefully wrapped them around Tyson in return, enfolding him in a loose, hesitant embrace that made his breath catch just a little and his heart pound.

"Kinomiya…Tyson, I'm so sorry. I…I wish I knew what to say or do to make this all stop and make you better." Kai lamented softly, his breath lightly ruffling the dark blue hair on top of Tyson's head as he spoke.

Tyson shook his head again and snuggled in closer without realizing it. It was the oddest thing, but now he felt safe – protected – and Kai was warm. He'd thought he'd never feel like this again, and while there was a fleeting thought that he'd not expected it to be with another guy, let alone _Kai_, it didn't bother him at all to be in this position, to be this intimate. The slightly taller teen's arms tightened into a full-fledged hug and it was enough to make Tyson smile just a little.

Standing in the balcony doors, Tala observed the two silently and just out of sight and hearing range. _Come on, Hiwatari…you have the perfect opportunity there and I will so slap you if you pass it up! Pain! Lots of pain!_

He looked away for a second as he heard footsteps in the room behind him. The others came trooping out of Kai's bedroom.

"Tala! Where's Tyson and Kai?" Max asked immediately when he didn't see either teen in the room.

"Shh!" The redhead shushed them and waved them over. "Check this out, guys, but _be quiet!_"

Max, Rei, and Bryan joined him at the door and the four boys huddled in secrecy as they watched the proceedings outside.

A fifth boy was there, too, unbeknownst to tall the rest. Daichi stood just outside the doors and was valiantly – though uselessly – railing at Kai to _just kiss him already!_

Had the two tens been able to read each other's minds, they would have discovered similar trains of thought steam rolling back and forth through their brains. Each was wondering if it was worth the risks to actually let the other know that he did in fact _like_ the other, and – if they accepted that emotion – if they weren't averse to a kiss…what would it be like?

And would the curse really break and let Tyson go back to normal again?

Tyson slowly pulled back from Kai, coming to a firm decision after several minutes of intense thought and reflection. One hand slowly but deliberately slid from Kai's shoulder to the back of his neck and curved around it as he lifted his head and stepped up close to Kai to stand chest to chest with him. Kai's hands fell to Tyson's waist and rested there without the crimson-eyed teen realizing it. He was too busy staring down into those sightless but no less captivating stormy eyes and wondering if he wasn't in the middle of another of his dreams after all.

_Oh god…_ Kai felt a small bubble of panic well up in his throat. _I think I…fuck it. Tell him, kiss him, and…let the chips lay as they fall_. He could see something in Tyson's expression, feel it in the way the bluenette's body molded itself to his own seamlessly. He could see it in Tyson's eyes, too, along with a desperate fear of rejection. Even if Kai had wanted to, he _couldn't_ voice any kind of rejection. He seemed to have misplaced his voice, and he had to swallow hard to get the lump out of his throat. _No one can over call me a coward, not after this_.

He dipped his head down, pausing just out of touching range, yet so close his breath was warm and fluttering against Tyson's lips and cheek. He felt the bluenette shiver and gave a shudder of his own when the finders at the nape of his neck twitched and sent pleasant chills of sensation trickling down his spine. Kai stared deeply into those eyes in a flash of sudden wonder, as if maybe, just _maybe_, Tyson liked _him_ as much as Kai had come to like Tyson…

That one possibility, one daring hope, was enough for Kai to regain a little of his confidence – enough to do what he needed to at that moment.

Daichi and the four hidden teens at the doors sucked in collective sharp breaths and held them, waiting in breathless anticipation.

And then they heard Kai's voice clearly in the still, hushed darkness, slightly husky but warm.

"Kinomiya…I have a confession to make."

XXXXXXXXXXX (stupid quick-edit!)

**Kali Notes:** And post! Running away! _ZOOM_ **Please** **R/R! **_echo…echo_


	6. Chapter 6

**Kali Notes:** This chapter is all for you Jen (& CJ!)! I hope you don't send your yami after me…'cause she's scary. Thanks for all the reviews last chapter, everyone! (And look! They fixed the quick-edit thingy! O.o)

**Disclaimer:** No, we don't own Beyblade or its characters. Oh, and I don't own Hershey's (woo boy if I did, it would be delicious!).

**Warnings:** Ah…weirdness, general insanity… and the usual (yaoi, language, etc.) excepting the fido-friendly version on ffnet. Sorry, folks. You know where else to find it…

**Pairings:** TyKa, Rei/Mariah, Max/Hilary, hinted Tala/Bryan & Kenny/Emily, others to be decided.

* * *

**Chapter 06**

"Are they kissing? Can anyone see?" Max asked in an exaggerated whisper to the others.

"Shh…" Rei hushed him.

"I can't…I don't think they're kissing yet." Bryan tried peering around his boyfriend's leg, since he was crouched down beside Tala. "It looks like Kai's saying something, I think."

"He had said something about a confession, but now we're too far back to hear more. Besides which," Tala gave them all an icy glare. "You all are _so_ noisy I couldn't hear a scream! So shut up!"

Daichi gave the group of teens an annoyed, angry glare, then moved closer to Tyson and Kai so he could hear better. Kai was saying something in a low, husky voice.

"…confession to make."

_Ah! Yes!_ Daichi jumped up and down for joy. _Go for it, Kai!_

Tyson blinked up at Kai, his pulse suddenly in his ears. He bit his lip and gave a tiny nod to let the older teen know he'd heard and was listening. _A confession?_ _It can't be what I 'm thinking it could be…no way_.

"The party tonight…I had an ulterior motive for having it."

Uh…okay. Tyson tilted his head curiously. Go on…

Kai sucked in a calming breath before continuing. _I can't believe I'm doing this…_ He thought with an internal groan. "See, sometime ago, I found that I enjoyed having you around, and talking with you – or not talking, since I don't normally talk this much…" Kai paused, catching himself mid-babble. "Hn. Anyway, I discovered that I…I like you. I mean, _like_ you. Um…the problem was I couldn't just…go up to you and tell you something like that because…because…"

Tyson swallowed hard past the lump of emotion in his throat. _He…likes me? As in **likes** me! Oh…oh! And he's been…afraid? No, not Kai. He's been **apprehensive** about telling me – not that I blame him because I'm no better after all_.

"Well, that doesn't matter, I suppose, since I'm telling you know. Look, Tyson, I…I just wanted you to know so that…I don't know…I guess because I want you to know I care and I will help you however I can until we figure this whole curse thing out, and…" Kai cut himself off again and studied Tyson's expression, searching for clues to his reaction – any at all would be good at this point. The bluenette looked dazed, mildly confused, and…relieved? "Tyson?" Kai felt a small spark of hope, and before he even realized it, he was moving in.

Mind whirling, Tyson didn't know what hit him when something soft, warm, and damp – and a little chapped – pressed against his mouth a little hard at first, then more gently. _Wha-oh! Oh god! Kai's lips! That's…he's…kissing…hmm…_ His all to active brain shut down but for the wonderful wash of sensation pouring through him. He instinctively tried to get closer, to get _more_ of that warmth and pleasure. His arms came up to curl around Kai's neck and he felt the hands at his waist spasm before sliding to his lower back and pulling him as close to Kai's front as possible.

Tala blinked, watching, then grinned wolfishly. _Finally._ _Excellent work, Hiwatari. Couldn't have done better myself_. He glanced down at the object of his affection, Bryan, and the two exchanged a brief grin before they turned as one to shoo the other two boys back into the house again.

"Let's give them some time, shall we?" Bryan said, nearly shoving poor Max bodily away from the doors.

Daichi, had anyone been able to see the little spirit, was jumping up and down wildly, doing somersaults in mid-air each time before landing.

Tyson let out a small moaning gasp as his body seemed to catch on fire from head-to-toe, and Kai took advantage, deepening the kiss to the point where he forgot what air was and that they'd both need it very soon. He'd wanted this, just this, for so long now, and here he was. He was finally kissing Tyson as he'd only done in dreams – and this was infinitely better than anything his imagination could come up with.

It was several minutes later when he finally had to back off and slowed the kiss to a stop. "Tyson…" he murmured against the bluenette's kiss-swollen lips, savouring the moment greedily. His crimson eyes were closed, and they were both breathing hard from the intensity of the passionate kiss.

But when a breathless, gasped reply suddenly came from the youth in his arms, Kai's eyes popped open wide.

"Kai…" Tyson frantically gasped in air, hazily wondering if he could convince the older teen to do that again, and thus was unaware he'd spoken aloud. "God…Kai…" he pried his eyes open, a lopsided, lazy smile crossing his face. He'd forgotten about everything but the moment, and blinked a little in concern at the shock he could see on Kai's face.

Kai made a strange sound, but could say or do nothing. He'd heard Tyson speak! And as he watched the bluenette's eyes open, he saw the silvery-grey colour disappear, chased away by that intensely beautiful, stormy sapphire blue that belonged there.

For a minute they just stood there, wrapped around one another, staring at each other like they'd never seen the other before.

And then, just as Tyson began to speak…

"Kai? What…"

"Tyson!"

Kai caught the bluenette and held him upright when those surreal eyes rolled back in his head and Tyson became a dead weight, passing out cold for the second time that night.

* * *

In the living area of Kai's great room, the four anxious teens sat around in silence, eagerly waiting for their two friends to come back inside and to find out if the curse was indeed broken.

Tala yawned expansively and shifted restlessly. He was lying on the sofa, with his head pillowed by Bryan's lap. The pale, lavender-haired teen was slouched in his spot, head leaning against the back cushion with his eyes closed. One arm was tossed haphazardly over Tala's chest, and the redhead was absently running his fingers up and down the limb as he contemplated the entire wild night.

Rei was stretched out like a big cat on the floor in front of the fireplace, and Max was curled up in one of the oversized, comfy sofa chairs. Though Bryan and Tala didn't seem worried or concerned about Kai and Tyson, Rei and Max were both still keyed-up enough that though they were tired, they weren't showing it outwardly.

The balcony door suddenly opened and was kicked shut as Kai came bursting in with an unconscious Tyson in his arms – again. The others were on their feet instantly and followed the crimson-eyed teen back to his bedroom.

"Kai! What happened! Is Tyson hurt!" Max exclaimed, very worried now, to the point where tears were welling up in his sea blue-green eyes.

"He…passed out again." Kai nodded at his bed. "Tala, pull the covers back for me, please."

Obligingly, Tala pulled them covers away and watched his friend gently place his burden on the mattress, then tuck him in almost…tenderly. He raised an eyebrow.

"You think it's because you broke the curse?" He asked, outright grinning when Kai turned an extreme shade of red and glared.

"Do you always spy on people?" Kai grumbled, fighting the blush in embarrassment at being so transparent emotionally.

"Please, Kai…" Rei interrupted, giving Kai a pleading look. "Tell us what happened? I'm very worried about Tyson and so is Max."

Kai hugged himself, as if he were suddenly cold, and stared down at Tyson, refusing to meet the others' gazes as he spoke softly.

"He was upset when he ran out there, even though he couldn't see or speak. I went after him to bring him back inside but he didn't want to go. So I tried to figure out what was wrong so that I could make him feel better – enough to come back in. But…I don't know. I ended up hugging him, and then I…" Kai stopped and cleared his throat. The others weren't going to get the whole of it from him – not even if he died. He continued, hurrying to get it out and over with to end his humiliation.

"Anyway…he suddenly looked up at me and said my name quite clearly. It was the weirdest thing ever, but I watched the colour seep back into his eyes just before he…went down like a rock."

Rei's golden, cat-like eyes widened and he moved over to the other side of the bed, gently picking up Tyson's wrist and taking a moment to check his pulse – which was steady and strong. Then he leaned over and very gently pried one eyelid open to see Tyson's eyes, and a small gasp escaped before he moved away.

"Well, it's definitely his eye colour. My guess is that his body has undergone such trauma with this whole curse thing that his mind shut down until it can cope." Rei shook his head. "Amazing. I think he's going to be fine. He'll wake up after a while, I imagine, but I wonder if he'll remember any of this?"

No one had an answer for that, least of all Kai. In a way he was seriously hoping Tyson _didn't_ remember. This had _not_ been how he'd wanted to tell the younger teen how he felt nor was it how he'd wanted their first kiss – and his first _ever_ (and Tyson's, too, for all he knew) – to come about. And yet, because he couldn't change events, he _did_ want Tyson to remember this.

Max moved over to the bed and sat on the edge, taking his friend's hand in his own and patting it lightly. "I'm staying here with him until he wakes up." The blonde declared in a hushed voice. He looked up at the others. "You should all go to sleep, at least for a while. If he wakes up, I'll come and get you."

"But what about you Max?" Rei frowned. "Aren't you tired?"

"A little, but I won't sleep until he wakes up and I hear for myself that he's okay from him." Max gave the tall teen a shadow of his usual bright smile. "I'll be alright, Rei. I promise I'm fine."

"Okay, then we'll move out to the other room so we don't disturb him. He probably needs the rest much more than we do." Tala ushered Kai, Rei, and Bryan from the room. "Come on, guys. Bed time!"

Max turned back to Tyson as the door closed and let out a deep sigh. "I don't know why this had to happen to you, pal, but get lots of rest. I'll be here when you wake up, I promise."

* * *

Daichi, watching Kai distribute warm blankets to his guests in the great room, heaved a sigh of relief. _Thank the gods **that's** over with. At least I got to see the end before I have to go. _He glanced at the clock on the mantle with a pout. _Damned All Saints' Day. Now I have to remain in the spirit world for the next twenty-four hours, starting at dawn. I'm not going to know what happens for a whole day! Not fair!_ It was just after four in the morning now, and already the little ghost could feel what energy he had left draining away, his 'body' being pulled back into the realm of spirits.

Kai did make an honest attempt to fall asleep, but he just couldn't manage it. His mind was still whirling on over load, and his nerves were frazzled.

_I…I can't stand this. This uncertainty and the thought of his rejection now that he's back to normal is…_ Kai shivered and sat up abruptly. _I can't stay here. I have to…I need some time._ He got to his feet as quietly as he could and stealthily – but quickly – moved toward the small closet near the doors that lead down to the rest of the house. He fished out a jacket and a pair of shoes, putting both on, then grabbed his scarf and headed for the balcony doors.

Bryan and Tala, both light sleepers, heard his moving around anyway and watched him tip-toe out the doors and very quietly close them.

"Where's he going?" Bryan wondered groggily. Tala shook his head and was moving before he even realized it, putting on his own shoes and preparing to follow Kai.

"I don't know, but I'll find out. Go back to sleep, Bry." The redhead waved and slipped out. Bryan grunted and rolled over, dropping back off to sleep without much trouble.

Tala managed to catch up with Kai just as he was about to step out of the gates of the Hiwatari front yard and onto the sidewalk. "Kai! Wait, Hiwatari!"

"Tala…" Kai heaved a resigned sigh. "Why are you out here? Go back inside before you freeze to death, dumb ass." He closed the gate and turned around.

"I'm fine. This is nothing." Tala shrugged that aside, ignoring the fact that it _was_ a tad nippy at 5:30 in the morning in…well, November, now. "Take your own advice, hot shot, and answer me your own question right back at you."

Kai closed his eyes and sagged, propping himself up against the tall brick and stone wall that fenced in his family's property. "I can't…I had to get out of there and think. And…it's better I'm not there when he wakes up and…remembers."

Tala frowned, folding his arms to try and hold in some body heat – under the pretense of looking stern and unimpressed. "You're not seriously _running away_." He stated flatly. When Kai didn't answer, didn't even look at him, he scowled. "You _are!_ I can't believe it!"

"Shut up, Tala! You don't understand at all!" Kai shot back, eyes blazing with emotion. "One of the most important events in my life just happened tonight but _so_ not how I'd wanted or thought it would, and I don't even know if he returns _any_ sort of my feelings! I've had a very shitty night, and I need a break, so don't take that superior tone with me!"

Tala listened with a neutral sort of calm as Kai wound down, then watched as he suddenly shuddered mightily and slid down the wall to the ground, legs pulled to his chest and face burying itself between his knees with a heart-wrenching sob. It was the only further sound he made, remaining huddled into himself like that and visibly trembling under the weight of stress and pent-up emotion.

The redhead joined him without a word, gingerly sitting on the grass beside his oldest friend and patiently waiting for Kai to pull himself together.

It took a bit longer than he'd expected, but Kai finally did raise his head and uncurl his form stiffly – though he didn't get up yet. Dawn was slowly breaking, softly lighting up the world with its warmth.

Exhausted in every possible way, Kai murmured, "Sorry." without even looking at Tala. He stared up at his house, wondering if Tyson had woken yet.

"Don't be. You needed an outlet, Kai. You always did keep things bottled up for too long until the explosion came and took out innocent civilians." Tala rolled his head to the side to look at Kai sideways. "Feel better, kid?"

Kai grimaced. "You're only a few months older than me. Do not call me 'kid.'" He sighed and shook his head. "And no, not really."

The ice-blue eyed teen nodded in understanding. "So Tyson's your first, huh? First…everything?"

Kai frowned and blushed. "Yes. Lay off, would you?"

"Nope. Never happen. It's my job and vast pleasure to tease and torment my friends when they have crushes and stuff."

"You are _such_ a pain in the ass, Tal."

"I know!" Tala's wolfish grin and complete lack of modesty managed to tug a small chuckle out of Kai. Having accomplished that much, and feeling much better about it, Tala became serious. "I'm sorry the moment was…not how you wanted it, Kai. Did he give any sort of indication that he likes you back?"

"I don't know. I mean, sure he kissed me back and all, but…it could have just been the moment, you know?" Kai tunneled his fingers through his hair wearily in frustrated uncertainty. "We…were both caught up in things. If he wakes up and remembers…what if he hates me after this? I…I'm not sure I can ever show my face around him again with that possibility."

"And if he doesn't remember?"

Kai closed his eyes. "In some ways, that's worse because it would be just that much more uncertain about…everything! And at the same time, if none of us ever tells him what happened, then I can at least pretend and…maybe someday have a second chance at my first, again."

Tala looked up at the house, too. "So what are you going to do in the meantime? Until you do know whether he remembers or not?"

"I need time. We need time." Kai looked down at the grass he sat on. He hated himself for it, and despised the cowardliness in him itself. "I can't go back in there right now."

Tala sighed, sitting up straighter. "You _will_ have to deal with it eventually. But…" he held up a hand as Kai opened his mouth to retort. "But, I get it, and you can go bunk at my place until I get home. I'll play host for you and get the others out of here first, then at least you can brood in your own home." He rolled to his feet and waited until Kai did the same. "I'll come with you and let you in. Don't worry about the parents." Tala made a face. "They aren't home and won't be until Monday."

Kai nodded, his expression turning relieved and vaguely grateful. "Thanks, Tala. I owe you one."

"You bet you do. But I'm not worried. I know you'll make it up to me." Tala smirked in agreement, opening the gate and waving Kai through with a sweeping arm gesture.

Kai rolled his eyes and passed by, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

* * *

The soft 'click' of a door somewhere broke through the pleasant, warm, hazy, dream-like sleep Tyson was floating in. Feeling quite groggy – yet feeling like he'd slept for years – Tyson pried open his eyes and blinked. His eyes felt gritty and heavy, and he raised a hand to his face to try and wipe the sensations away.

When he could see properly, he lifted himself up onto his elbows and looked around in confusion. _Where…oh._ _Kai's room_. Frowning when he didn't see anyone else in the room, he sat up and ran his fingers through his hair. _I remember the party, and then after, Bryan was going to get his horror movies, and then…_ His eyes went very wide as memory trickled back. _Ohhh_…_shit. Oh my god!_ He remembered everything! But…he could see again, perfectly.

Tyson cleared his throat and tried speaking. "H-hello?" He smiled a little in relief. _Well, that's a load off. Except..._ Tyson groaned and drew his knees up to his chest, hugging them. He also remembered _how_ he'd been cured – every wonderful, dizzying, blissful moment. _Kai…_

Had he _really_ shared such an amazing kiss with the older teen? Had Kai _really_ said those words, confessed emotions that Tyson never honestly dared to hope for from him?

Lost in memory and thought, he didn't hear the bedroom door open, admitting his concerned, blonde friend.

"Tyson! You're awake!" Max exclaimed, zipping over to the bed in a few short steps. "How do you feel?"

The bluenette looked up at him and managed to dredge up a reassuring smile. "Hi, Max. I'm fine."

"Ah! You spoke! Thank god." Max sat on the bed next to him and looked him over carefully. "So everything's back to the way it should be for you then?"

"Yeah. Seems like it, at least." Tyson sighed. "That was the weirdest, freakiest thing that's ever happened to me."

"No kidding! We were all freaked and worried about you, pal. Especially Kai, I think." Max admitted reluctantly. "He took good care of you while you were…uh…incapacitated."

Tyson blushed and glanced away. "Yeah. Is everyone else up already? What time is it?"

Max glanced at Kai's alarm clock. "Nearly ten in the morning. Yeah, the rest of the group has been up for about an hour now. Well, Bryan, Rei, and I at least. Kai and Tala apparently were up much earlier and slipped out to go to the store to get something to make for breakfast."

"Speaking of…is Kai busy? I mean, I…we should probably talk…about…things." Tyson fought a deeper blush and lost, wishing he could just crawl into a hole somewhere.

Max grinned and nudged him with an elbow. "Spill it, Tyson! Just between you and me…"

The bluenette gave him a scowl. "What are you? A girl? Go away, Max."

"Okay, okay. I'm sorry. I just had to tease a little." Max smiled sympathetically and patted Tyson on the knee in apology. "So you really do like him, huh? Why didn't you just tell us instead of denying it?"

Tyson fiddled with the sheets uncomfortably. "I don't know. I guess…I didn't know how you and Kenny would react. Or anyone else, really."

Max sighed. "Yeah, well, I guess that's to be expected. There are a lot of ignorant, intolerant people in the world. But Tyson, you know Kenny and I – and Rei and Mariah, too – don't care about that! I mean, we put up with Tala and Bryan – they have other peculiarities we can be annoyed with instead of their sexuality."

Tyson snickered. It was true. Those two were definitely…different.

"Yeah. I know. I'm sorry, Maxie. But…thanks for everything last night. I really appreciated your efforts to help."

"Aww…it was nothing!" Max grinned again, brightening. "Anything for a friend!"

"So…is Kai busy?" Tyson asked again.

"Oh! I nearly forgot. Uh…actually, he's not here." The blonde sighed and Tyson's face fell. "Tala told us his mother called him on his cell phone when he and Kai were at the store, and she asked him to run some errands for her and his father. Tala said he didn't know how long it would take and now he's playing host in Kai's stead." Max explained, emoting sympathy waves at Tyson's expressions. "Don't worry though. I'm sure you two will find a way to get together and talk about it all." He tired to reassure the bluenette.

"Well, I hope so. I hope…he doesn't regret what he – _we_ – did or anything. I…I at least want to thank him for everything."

"You will! Hey, are you hungry? We saved some pancakes for you, if you are." Max got to his feet. "Why don't you get up and come have some?" He laughed at Tyson's dubious expression. "Don't worry. Rei made them."

"Alright. I'll be right out." Tyson agreed. Max nodded and left the room to give Tyson a chance to clean up and come out on his own to face the others.

* * *

Tyson was pleasantly surprised that Bryan, Tala, and Rei didn't comment – much – about the whole incident, nor did they tease him mercilessly. He ate his pancakes in relative peace, and then the group of boys finished cleaning up from the party – to thank Kai for inviting them to stay over, despite the freaky factor of Tyson's curse. The Hiwatari butler, Gregory, had appeared and left them with plenty of cleaning supplies and extra garbage bags when they'd insisted on tidying themselves and not leaving it for Gregory and Kai to do on their own.

When all was gleaming and sparkling clean, they all trooped out, leaving Kai's house and going their separate ways.

At the gates, however, Tala had paused and delayed Tyson for just a moment.

"Here, Kinomiya." The redhead scribbled a phone number on a scrap piece of paper and handed it to the younger teen. "That's Kai's private line to his cell phone. Not too many people have that number, and if he asks where you got it, feel free to blame me." Tala grinned. "He can yell at me or thank me all he wants later. Make sure you use it, hear?"

Tyson stared at the little slip of paper then gave Tala a grateful smile – not because of the number, but what the older teen was telling him.

Kai was as confused and unsure as he was, but there was an interest in Tyson nonetheless.

* * *

**Kali Notes:** Okay, so I only plan on one last chapter to this fic. Then there WILL be more…eventually. In a new fic. Yes, there will be a sequel! Anyway, more on that next chapter. For now, **please R/R!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Kali Notes:** Well, folks! This is the end of _Haunted_! I know…but never fear! There will be a sequel – since I believe I can continue this fic. A very big thanks to everyone who stuck around to read this thing through, and to all of you who bothered to review/comment. I really appreciate it. Don't ask when the sequel will come along…because I don't know.

**Disclaimer:** No, we don't own Beyblade or its characters.

**Warnings:** Ah…weirdness, general insanity… and the usual (shonen-ai, language, etc.) excepting the fido-friendly version on ffnet. Sorry, folks. You know where else to find it…

**Pairings:** TyKa, Rei/Mariah, Max/Hilary, hinted Tala/Bryan & Kenny/Emily, others to be decided.

* * *

**Chapter 07**

Tyson spent the rest of Saturday coming to terms with the previous evening's events. He went about his chores almost mechanically, not really paying attention to what he was actually doing. His thoughts were just all over the place, chaotic and one-tracked at the same time.

"Little dude!" His grandfather bellowed suddenly at the dinner table that night, whacking the table with a loud BANG and making Tyson jump violently. "Where're ya at, T-man? 'Cause you're certainly not here at the table!"

"Ah! Geez, Gramps! Are you _trying_ to give me a heart attack?!" Tyson clutched at his chest dramatically. "What's the matter?"

"You're in more space than an astronaut! You've been like that since you got home from that shindig." Gramps was eyeing Tyson critically. "Tell this old homeboy what went down, little dude."

Tyson scowled at his dinner plate, blushing rosily. His grandfather knew he had a thing for Kai – he'd had that information dragged out of him kicking and screaming during one of Gramps' surprise attacks that resulted in an intense training session. To Tyson's shock, the old man hadn't been at all fazed that the bluenette was infatuated with someone of the same gender. When he'd expressed that shock, Gramps had just laughed heartily and given one of his typical, street-slang inspired bits of wisdom.

"Yo! The heard don't care about the flavour, ya dig?"

Knowing that, while relieving Tyson of any concerns about family acceptance – at least from the eldest Kinomiya – Tyson wasn't sure if he should tell his slightly off-kilter elder about the extreme weirdness after Kai's party or not.

"It's nothing, Gramps. Really. I just have a lot on my mind, that's all." He finally replied, hoping Gramps wouldn't push it. Some things, however, are too good to be true.

"So tell me what they are and maybe your brain will weigh less."

Tyson scowled again briefly, then sighed. He gave up and slowly explained what had happened with the ghosts, the curse, the whole evening – well, minus any…_graphic_ details that Gramps didn't need to hear.

"That is one tall tale, little dude." Gramps stared at his grandson incredulously when he'd finished. "I think you've been watching too many horror movies with Max."

"Forget it." Tyson shoved his plate away and pushed his chair back to get up. "Why would you believe me anyway."

"Now, T-man, don't go getting your boxers in a bunch! Sit back down, little dude." As the bluenette walked by, Gramps casually stuck out a foot and tripped him, sweeping his legs out from under him. Tyson flopped on the floor on his butt and growled in annoyance. Muttering under his breath, he climbed back up into the chair.

"I'm telling the truth, Gramps! It really went down like that." Tyson crossed his arms over his chest. "That isn't what's bothering me though."

"What's the damage then?"

"It's…I mean, I really like him, Gramps. But…I don't know if he really likes _me_ – not in the same sense I do about him, at least. Sure he kissed me, but it _was_ an 'in-the-heat-of-the-moment' kind of thing, not to mention the both of us were highly emotional and not completely rational at the time, so…"

"Tyson…" Gramps dropped the street-slang and became completely serious. "I would say if he didn't like you, there's no way he would have…uh…"

The teen flushed, turning a bright shade of red.

Gramps coughed. "Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that you need to talk with him. Agonizing over it isn't going to solve anything and only drive you insane."

Tyson sighed wearily and slouched, one hand creeping into his pants' pocket to pull out the piece of paper that Tala had given him with Kai's cell phone number on it. "I guess the only question left is when, huh?"

The old man chuckled, his gaze turning off into space. "Ah…young love. You know, I remember when I was your age, there was this fly chick…" A gleam glazed over Gramps' eyes and Tyson groaned inwardly, carefully sneaking out of his seat and out the door to escape.

* * *

The weekend continued uneventfully – well, in a way. Two young men, in their two separate homes, were considering each other in ways that they had before, but this time with a hopeful edge that came from the paranormal events of Friday night.

At the ancestral home of the Kinomiya clan, Tyson sat just outside his bedroom on the boardwalk that ran around the entire residence and dojo, his back leaning comfortably against a large wooden post. Here he was sheltered from the soft, misty rain that fell continuously just beyond him. His radiant storm-blue eyes stared up at light grey skies while he contemplated the coming fateful Monday, where he would return to school – and face Kai again, like it or not.

He pulled his knees up to his chest loosely and rested his forearms on them, heaving a heavy sigh. The weather wasn't inducing a cheerful mood, even though he liked storms and rain normally. Tyson glanced down at the cordless phone receiver which lay beside him, and for the hundredth time that hour tried to decide whether or not to call Kai.

But as he reached out to pick it up to make that call, he nearly jumped out of his skin when it rang loudly, startling him severely. Tyson swore, clutched his pounding heart with one hand, and answered the phone with the other.

"Kinomiya residence, Tyson speaking." He intoned. It was probably one of Gramps' cronies…um, friends, wanting to set up a poker night again or something.

"Hey, Tyson!" Max's genki voice, extra-hyper, greeted him instead. "How's it going, pal?"

"Hey, Max. Alright, I suppose." Tyson shifted and got comfortable again. "From your voice, I'd guess the date with Hilary went fairly well?"

He could picture the mile-wide, 1000-Watt grin on the blonde's face when he replied, "It was fantastic! Oh man, she's such a great girl, and she's really smart and beautiful, too!"

Tyson rolled his eyes, but smiled and let his friend ramble on about all the brunette's apparent virtues indulgently. When he finally wound down, the bluenette chuckled in amusement.

"You are so totally whipped, Mizuhara Max."

"Well…I wouldn't go that far, but…yeah." Max laughed sheepishly. "I had to call you and tell you all about it, though. I've been full of energy since last night when we went out, and I couldn't hold it in anymore."

"I can imagine."

"So did you talk to Kai yet?" Max asked, hesitant. Tyson sighed and shook his head, then remembered Max couldn't see it.

"No. I…I'm afraid to call him." Max would never know how hard it was to admit that. "Now that he's had time to think about it…I'm afraid he's decided he _doesn't_ like me and wants nothing more to do with me."

"Tyson…" Max went silent for a moment, obviously thinking. "Look, I can't pretend to understand how you feel, what with everything that happened that night and all, but I do know that he's probably just as agonized about it as you are. Don't let your fears about things that haven't happened yet get you down, okay?"

"I'm trying Max. I really am."

"And I'm sure it'll work out eventually." There was a pause. "Oops! I have to get off the phone. Dad wants it. I'll talk to you to morrow in class, okay?"

"Yeah. See you, Max."

"Bye!"

Tyson put the phone down. Max was right. He was worrying about possibilities that hadn't happened yet. So…he'd wait and see how the chips fell – so to speak.

* * *

In a nearby part of the city, the other teen sat curled up on the sofa in his bedroom, staring into the flames of his fireplace as if he could somehow see all the answers to all his questions there. A warm blanket was wrapped snuggly around him and his dual-toned grayish hair was draped over the armrest where his head was pillowed. He'd been trying to get warm again since Saturday morning, but all he felt was cold and empty. It was as if the weekend's events and Tyson's departure from the house had sucked all the warmth and energy from Kai – which was ridiculous, he knew, but it still felt that way.

Oh, he knew _why_. He was still afraid to confront the bluenette, and his fears were what was _really_ making him cold and shivery. Every time fear washed through him, ending in a shudder, he mentally berated himself for being pathetic and cowardly. The flames danced and crackled merrily, and he wondered if he'd ever have that same spark and passion he'd felt when Tyson had been in his arms and their kiss had burned itself into his soul.

He barely even looked up when his mother quietly peered into the room around the door frame.

"Oh! There you are! Kai, son, what's wrong?" She moved into the room and laid a hand to his forehead. "Your father and I haven't seen you all day and when you didn't come down for dinner I got worried. You don't have a fever…are you not feeling well?"

Kai slunk down under his blanket further and hid a grimace. He just wanted to be left alone, really. But his mother wouldn't' do that until she had an answer, he knew.

"I feel fine, Mother. I'm just cold and tired." He responded dully. She didn't buy that, though, and frowned in concern, sitting on the coffee table and blocking his view of the fire.

"Sweetheart, I can always tell when you're not giving me the whole truth so please don't try that on me. What's wrong, Kai?"

He sighed and closed his eyes. No way was he telling her exactly what happened. She'd never believe it anyway. But…

"You and Father love each other a lot, right?" Kai asked after a moment of thought, surprising his mother with question.

"Well, yes. We didn't at first. Our marriage was arranged by our families. But we were lucky, I suppose, because we found happiness with one another after a time." She ran a hand through his hair in a motherly gesture. "Why?"

"Have you ever…done something or said something to each other – before you were married – that ever made you wonder if you had damaged the relationship? Like maybe you'd never get together because of it?"

Confused, his mother tilted her head and stared at him. "No. Nothing so dire as that, I'm happy to say." Her eyes widened. "Kai, are you saying you think you've done something that jeopardizes your chance to be with someone? Someone you like, perhaps?"

_Damn it all_. She was entirely too perceptive. Kai flushed an interesting shade of pink and pulled his blanket up around his nose. "Yes." He mumbled, his voice muffled by the blanket (which was fine by him since it came out suspiciously squeaky in embarrassment).

"Oh!" His mother smiled and sniffled. "That's wonderful, Kai! I mean, that you've fallen for someone, not the other…oh dear." She laughed lightly and dragged the blanket away from him. "Come now. Sit up and tell me about it. Who is she? Have I met her yet?"

Kai froze halfway sitting up. _Oh…shit_. He cursed fluently but silently. His mother – and to some extent his father, too – were both very liberal in their views of the world. Neither had issues with Tala and Bryan being together. But they weren't _their_ children, they weren't of the Hiwatari family. Kai wasn't sure if that liberal tolerance extended to _him_.

"Listen, no offence, Mother, but…I'm not ready to talk about it yet, okay? I just…I'm trying to figure out how to, uh, approach the person after I…well, let's just say I think I screwed up and they probably don't want to have anything more to do with me." He sat up fully and hugged his knees to his chest.

The delight faded back into motherly concern and she took her son's hand and rubbed it between her own. "Son, it's never too late, and I doubt you could have done anything so regrettable that the person wouldn't be willing to discuss it calmly like an adult. Don't give up before you try, Kai." She smiled and stood up. "Come downstairs and eat something. Gregory kept a plate for you in case you were hungry after all." She held out a hand to him, and, though he felt like a five year old kid again, he clasped it and allowed her to pull him off the sofa and lead him to the stairs.

While she happily mothered him for the rest of the evening, he found he did feel somewhat better about everything. She was right, after all. And he _never_ gave up anything without a down and dirty fight, if that's what was required.

School, he decided, was going to be very different the next day, and full of changes – for better or worse.

* * *

Morning dawned sunny and cheerful, a complete contrast to the weekend's dreary, damp weather. It was as if the gods were smiling on the day, and that bode well for the two nervous teens as they each made their own way to school.

The group of teens that had been present for Tyson's brush with the paranormal had all been sworn to secrecy unless Tyson, himself, chose to tell anyone about it – by Kai, through Tala. So, when Max and Rei were both obviously keeping an eye on the bluenette (no matter how sneaky they tried to be about it), it wasn't surprising that Kenny (and several others) began asking why they were acting like something was wrong with Tyson.

Tyson had no wish to try and explain the true nature of what happened, and so made up a story about eating too much junk food and getting so scared by Bryan's horror movies all night that he'd gotten no sleep at all, resulting in a very ill Tyson for the rest of the weekend.

Kenny was the only one not fooled by the tale, but he let it go, trusting and understanding that his best friend would tell him, eventually, what really went on.

Kai, on the other hand, was being pestered mercilessly by a certain red-head all morning. He'd been hoping to run into the bluenette first thing when he arrived, before classes, but had no such luck. Instead, he had to sit through his morning classes (neither of which Tyson was a part of) and be tormented by Tala's pointed looks, questioning stares, and the annoying little notes the older teen casually tossed at him from two rows away (their seats being at the back of the class and Bryan between them helped).

Lunch time came soon enough, and with relief, Tyson escaped the inquisition and retreated to the side of the school – where few people ever went to eat – in peace. Max and Kenny had followed him (after Max had explained to Hilary that there was something he "needed to talk to" the two about and couldn't eat lunch with her that day). It was a warmer day, and the shade of the trees along the side of the building provided ample shade.

Of course, by this time, Kenny's patience had worn off.

"Okay, Tyson! Spill it! What happened after I left the party?" The petit brunette demanded.

Tyson paused in opening his bento lunch and sighed apologetically. "Yeah. Sorry, Chief. I just didn't want everyone to hear about it or they'd think I was crazy." He proceeded to explain everything with a little help from Max. When he'd finished, he gave the spectacled teen a small smile. "Crazy, huh?"

"Uh…if it were anyone but the two of you telling me this, I'd be on the phone to the nearest mental institution. But since it _is_ you, I believe you." Kenny moaned. "I can't _believe_ I missed my chance to study real paranormal activity! Life is _so_ unfair!"

Max smothered a laugh and Tyson frowned in a disgruntled way.

"Okay, getting past that…now I have to talk to him, guys. And I have no idea what to say or do."

"You really do like him, don't you?" Kenny smiled, pushing his left-over noodles to the bluenette who proceeded to demolish them much as he had his own lunch. "Kai is a good match for you, Tyson, even if I don't understand him that well. I was hoping you'd see it yourself sooner or later. I'm glad it was sooner."

"Don't get ahead of yourself, Chief." Max cautioned. "Still, I have to agree with you. Tyson and Kai would make a phenomenal couple."

The bluenette blushed and stuffed noodles in his mouth.

Tala was still pestering Kai by the time the lunch bell rang and they escaped to their usual lunch spot (on nice days) – their tree and piece of the school wall.

"Now would be the perfect time to go find him and talk to him, Hiwatari! Don't let the opportunity slip by!"

"Ivanov, I swear I'm going to drown you in the school pool if you don't lay off!" Kai gave him his very best death glare, full of murderous intent. Tala blithely ignored it.

"Yes, yes, I know." Tala and the mostly silent Bryan followed him outside. "Besides, I know you don't want to talk to him in front of the others, and you know they're probably waiting for us at the tree, so…"

Kai scowled.

As luck would have it (or thanks to whichever meddling deity was…well, meddling) when they turned the corner to go around the side of the school and head toward their wall, they came across the bluenette, Max, and Kenny under one of the first trees with their lunches.

Blue met crimson and held, both dead silent. Tala and Bryan exchanged glances with each other, then with Max and Kenny, and as one the four teens quietly disappeared in mutual agreement.

Tyson swallowed hard and slowly got to his feet. Kai moved closer, but remained outside the younger teen's personal space. The tense silence was broken suddenly as they spoke at the same time.

"Kinomiya…"

"Kai, I…"

They stopped, looked away with twin blushes, then looked back again.

"You first." Kai urged.

"No, you go ahead." Tyson conceded. "Please."

"Hn. Well…I…how are you?" Kai blurted out, mentally cursing and kicking himself for sounding ridiculous and insecure. "I mean, ah, no relapses or anything?"

Tyson shook his head, leaning against the trunk of the tree. "No. I'm perfectly normal again." He offered a hesitant, bright, half-smile. "Thanks again, Kai. I wanted to say that Saturday when I woke up but you'd already gone before I got the opportunity." He chuckled, though the sound was still nervous.

Kai's shoulders shrugged jerkily, and he took a step forward. "I was called away to run errands by my parents, or I would have stuck around. I apologize for being a bad host and…for what that poltergeist did to you."

"Hey, you can't control spirits. That wasn't your fault." Tyson responded immediately. No way was he letting Kai believe he was to blame for that. "Besides! If it hadn't been for what you did, I may not have been cured! You cured me, right? Don't beat yourself up about it…" he blushed a little more, remembering _how_ Kai had cured him.

"Yes, but…" Kai looked up at the sky for a moment. "About that…I hope I didn't…I mean I'm sorry if you…"

A cold feeling of dread washed down Tyson's spine and settled in his gut. He was sure rejection was coming before he'd even had a chance for anything else.

"Ha ha! Oh, don't worry, Kai!" This time the laughter was as false as Gramps' teeth. "I know it was just a heat-of-the-moment kind of thing and all the stress and tension didn't help so forget about it! I swear I won't ever mention it to anyone or whatever so relax!" Looking away and swallowing around the lump in his throat that he was sure were the pieces of his breaking heart, Tyson bent and grabbed his lunch, preparing to make a hasty escape. "Anyway, thanks again, and I'll see you around, oka-mph!"

Pliable, slightly rough lips mashed against his as he stood up and, startled, he dropped his lunch. And then his widened eyes drooped shut as he was pressed back against the tree, a warm body molding into his own. Helpless and melting, the bluenette whimpered and curled his arms around strong shoulders in welcome.

Kai had barely registered moving, having only one thought which propelled him forward: he would _not_ let Tyson believe he'd only kissed him that night because of the curse. When Tyson's arms reached up and circled his shoulders, Kai felt a jolt of giddy triumph as he sensed the acceptance being offered. It made him kiss that addictive mouth harder, more demandingly, and the whimpers of pleasure he earned washed over him in waves of heat.

He slid his hands up Tyson's arms to cup his face between his palms, angling his head just so… Tyson groaned, let the tree take their weight, and hung on, his fingers running feverishly through Kai's hair at the back of his neck.

The emotion and desire grew to be almost too much and the taller teen forced himself to end the kiss, but couldn't bring himself to separate even one millimeter from the youth he had pinned to a tree. Breathing harshly, Kai rained slow, reverent, butterfly-soft kisses over Tyson's features – from his nose, over closed eyelids, temples, forehead, and back along his jaw line. When he got back to Tyson's mouth he stopped, hovering a whisper away.

Tyson's eyes fluttered open, stormy blue, gorgeous, and glazed with passion. His heavy breathing hitched as their gazes bore into one another from mere inches apart, and his arms tightened around Kai's neck. "Kai…" he breathed the name. "Gods…"

"Everything I said that night was the truth, Tyson." Kai murmured, watching his expression for any hint of what the bluenette was thinking. "And this, right now, was not done because of any coercion or heat-of-the-moment."

"Good. Great!" Tyson rasped, trying to get his mind to function again, his voice thick. "Because if it had been, I'd have to kick your ass for making me feel like this when you don't mean it."

Crimson eyes widened slightly, hope flaring. "Feel…? Like what, exactly?"

"At the moment, like I want you to kiss me again and never stop." Tyson grinned foolishly and pressed his lips to Kai's once, just for a moment. "But outside of that…I don't know what this is inside of me, Kai, for you." He grew serious and seemed to be studying Kai just as closely as Kai was _him_. "I've never felt this way before. I know I like you – probably more than I should – and I like it when you're around me."

Kai let his forehead rest against Tyson's, relief weighing his body down until he could barely hold himself up anymore. "Me too…" he whispered. "I…this weekend was not how I would have chosen to go about telling you or finding out if you'd be interested, and I _certainly_ would _never_ have harmed you…"

"Shh…I know that, Kai." Tyson hushed him, laying two fingers to Kai's lips. "I've had first-hand experience of how kind and considerate you really are." He smirked and chuckled at Kai's wince and grimace. "Even under the attitude and indifferent exterior you show the world."

"Yeah, well…keep it between you and me, Kinomiya. I _do_ have a reputation to maintain."

Tyson just laughed.

"Do we tell anyone about this now?" He wanted to know. Kai sighed.

"I don't think it's any of their business. Maybe the ones who were there that night, but outside of that, let's keep it quiet for a while." The older teen suggested. Tyson nodded.

"Alright. I think that's best, too."

They both looked up at the school when the warning bell for the return to classes from lunch break rang out.

With a sigh, Kai pushed himself away from the bluenette and ran fingers through his hair, a faint blush on his cheeks. "Ah…I guess lunch is over. So…"

Tyson straightened his school clothes and checked his hair to make sure it didn't _look_ like he'd been making out with someone, blushing a little. "So…what are you doing Friday night?"

Kai blinked, then grinned (making Tyson's heart flutter madly). "Taking my boyfriend on a date. I hear there's a big pro-poker tournament in town this weekend…" He left the suggestion hanging.

"That could be fun." Tyson nodded in mock-solemnity. "Or we could go see a movie. Hey! We could make it a double-date with Tala and Bryan! Or a triple-date with them, and with Max and Hilary!"

"_He-ll_ no, Tyson."

Tyson grinned and let Kai lead the way back toward the school doors.

* * *

**Fin. Owari. Ende.**

**Kali Notes:** Tada! Thanks again everyone and I hope you have a safe, spooky, and happy HALLOWEEN! Remember…sequel! And for now, **please R/R!!!!**

**_Yami_ _FireKali_ **


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